The Zamfara State Police Command has apprehended a suspected notorious armed bandit, Emeka, who was parading himself as a pastor.
The command said its personnel also arrested other criminals after special operation known as Operation Puff Adder.
Addressing newsmen at the command headquarters in Gusau, the state capital, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Usman Nagogo, said luck ran out the car snatcher as he was about to leave the country a to Niger Republic where he always sell any vehicle he snatches from people.
The Commissioner explained that the on-ogoing peace accord and reconciliation initiative in the state will not divert his attention to other crimes being perpetrated in both urban and rural areas.
“Our tactical teams attached to Operation Puff Adder have between the months of September and October, 2019 arrested 14 notorious criminals belonging to different syndicates of armed robbers, rapists, serial snatchers of motorcycles, tricycles and other heinous crimes from different locations and hideout in the state,” he said.
The Commissioner gave the names of the suspected criminals as:
1. Mohammed Dahiru alias “Emeka Pastor
2. Abubakar Ahmed
3. Sani Garba
4. Sama’ila Abubakar
5. Abubakar Ibrahim
He stated that the items recovered from them included:
1. One mark rout pistol breech No. 2537 with two rounds of live ammunition
2. One Toyota Hillux vehicle, white in colour belonging to NDE office, Zamfara State.
3. One Toyota Corolla S vehicle, red in colour
4. One Toyota Corolla LE vehicle, ash in colour
5. One Honda Accord Vehicle
6. four plasma televisions
7. Three generators
8. One sewing machine
9. Two Gas cylinders
10. Two Ceiling fans
11. One Iron Stone
12. One Carpet
13. One Z pad x 7 tablets
14. One Nokia handset
15. One Techno handset and other numerous exhibits suspected to be have been stolen.
“Operation Puff Adder attached to Tudun Wada Division arrested the above mentioned hoodlums, who have been terrorizing innocent people of Gusau and its environs with criminal activities ranging from armed robbery, houses/shops breaking, snatching of vehicles/motorcycles on gun point.”
The Commissioner said that their recent atrocity was at the house of coordinator National Directorate of Employment (NDE) Zamfara State where they went to his house, robbed him, and made away with his official Toyota Hillux Vehicle at gun point, and later took the vehicle to Niger Republic for sale.
“All the suspects confessed their past and present crimes and further led the police investigation team to Suleja in Niger state as well as Niger Republic where three other stolen vehicles belonging to Nura Garba Daura, of Federal University Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi state. Nasiru Ahmed of Nasarawa Tudun Wada area, Gusau and Ibrahim Sani of Sabon Gari area, Gusau were recovered.
“All the vehicles were stolen at gun points and in some of the robberies, women were raped and subjected to all forms of humiliation. The searches in their houses led to recoveries of so many stolen items.”
Nagogo stated that eight suspected car snatchers were equally apprehended.
He gave their names as:
1. Mubarak Abdullahi
2. Sanisi Muhammed
3. Ahmed Bello Buzu
4. Usman Idris Zico
5. Musa Abdullahi
6. Ibrahim lawali
7. Yusha’u mamman
8. Lawali lalan, Ibrahim lazy, umaru mai Damma and Nasiru Mohammed a.k.a Dan Gummi now at large
Sequel to a complaint lodged at central police station by one Ibrahim Isma’il of Gada biyu area of Gusau that on the 3th October, 2019 while he was performing Isha’i prayer, unknown criminal entered his house and stole away his motorcycle which he parked in the house. Police swung into action and arrested Mubarak Abdullahi with a stolen motorcycle along Magazu on his way to Funtua to dispose it.
“Investigation revealed that, Mubarak Abdullahi and his accomplices are serial motorcycles and tricycles snatchers and have been terorrising innocent people.
“Further investigation led to the recovery of eight other motorcycles suspected to be stolen.”
According to him, the suspects will be charged to court of competent jurisdiction as soon as investigation is completed.
“On 8th October, 2019 at about 0820hrs, Operation Puff Adder team in Talata Mafara arrested the above named suspects in possession of an unregistered Boxer motorcycle suspected to be have been stolen. The motorcycle could not be accounted for by the suspect. Investigation into the case led to the recovery of seven other motorcycles suspected to have been stolen. Investigation is in progress with a view to arresting other members of his gang now at large.
“I want to use this forum to call on members of the public whose vehicles and motorcycles or other properties showcased in this briefing robbed or stolen to come to the Police Command Headquarters with genuine documents for identification and possible release.”
