BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – Focused on curbing crime and criminality in Adamawa State, the Police Command has announced the rescued of four kidnap victims and 13 trafficked children across the North-East state.
This is as the Command disclosed that about 567 suspects have also been arrested for different crimes and offences
The Commissioner of Police, Morris Dankwambo, who addressed journalists on Monday at the Command’s headquarters in Yola, said the operations were carried out in different locations within and outside the State.
According to Dankwambo, “Through the collaborative efforts of the Anti-Kidnapping Crack Squad, Intelligence Units, Tactical Squad, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers, the command arrested 567 suspects for different offences, which include kidnapping, culpable homicide, armed robbery, child trafficking, rape and sexual offences and Shilla gangsterism,”
He said the landmark operation led by ACP Shuaibu Wara was successful due to credible intelligence, leading to the arrest of a female suspect who “specialised in the stealing and trafficking of children.”
The Police boss further said, “Recently, 13 children in Adamawa who were trafficked and sold to people in Anambra State have been rescued”, even as he hinted that an investigation into the case was in progress.
While explaining that the children would be released to their bonafide parents soon, CP Dankwambo disclosed that the Command made the following seizures: “Six AK-47 rifles, three pump-action guns, 11 fabricated assault rifles and assorted rounds of live cartridges.
“Others include stolen properties such as three vehicles, five tricycles, four motorcycles, two gas cylinders, computers, mobile handsets, and various charms, among other items.”
He said the key suspects arrested out of the 567 suspects are: “Mrs. Ngozi Abdulwahab, 43 years old, a resident of Jambutu, Yola North LGA and Mrs Uche Okoye, 55 years, a resident of Kabiku, Nnewi, Anambra State.
The two women were said to have “been responsible for multiple child stealing and trafficking cases from Adamawa to Anambra State and other parts of the country.”
Meanwhile, in another development, seven suspected Shilla boys were arrested for house-to-house armed robbery.
The suspects include Muhammed Alhaji, 25 years; Jafar Babangida, 19 years; and Jiyau Garba, 38 years. Others are, Bawuro Ibrahim, 22 years; Sahabi Muhammed, 29 years; Auwal Musa, 30 years; and Lukman Usman, 17 years
Additionally, Operatives of Jimeta Division of the Command arrested 36-year-old Tukur Adamu, a suspected notorious drug dealer for culpable homicide.
Available reports indicated that Adamu recently brutally murdered a young man who allegedly failed to remit N50,000 from the sale of Indian hemp.
Urging members of the public to always report suspicious movements in their areas to the Police, CP Dankwambo assured the journalists that as soon as investigations are concluded, all the suspects would be arraigned in Court.
