Woman who confessed being bandits’ major arms supplier arrested in Kaduna

A female arms supplier, 45 year old Serriat Ibrahim was arrested by the joint operatives of the Special Tactical Squad, Force headquarters, Abuja and Operational Yaki of the Kaduna State, Police Command.

She has confessed being the major arms and ammunition supplier to bandits within Kaduna State, after her gang of suspected armed bandits were intercepted along Sam Inaka/Jos Expressway in a blue Sharon vehicle.

The security operatives recovered one AK-47 loaded with six rounds of live ammunition, one operational vehicle as well as 134 rounds of different calibres of live ammunition.

Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Yekini Ayoku revealed that the female arms supplier was arrested on 15th June and has been undergoing interrogation.

Yekini said troops engaged in a gun duel with the bandits and another suspect, Jane Dawi, 31, of Vom Town, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State was also arrested.

Also, the Sun reported that the police boss said the suspected bandits, on sensing an avoidable danger, immediately paused on their way to deliver some dangerous weapons to their cohorts and engaged the police operatives in a fierce gun duel.

“The police tactical team was able to terminally injure four outlaws with severe bullet wounds while they were retreating into the forest. The injured suspects were evacuated to Barah Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna where they were pronounced dead by a medical doctor,” he said.

CP Ayoku said that the police operatives arrested another 25-year-old suspect, Ishaku Habu a.k.a Deta in Saminaka axis of Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

He said the suspect was apprehended on July 7, 2022 over suspicious movement of illicit arms around Mariri village, Sama Inaka. He said the police recovered one AK-47 rifle loaded with 29 rounds of 7.62X 39mm live ammunition and one mobile phone.

In a chat, Ishaku Habu told Saturday Sun that he combined cattle rearing with kidnapping. “ I am a cattle-rearer but I have a gang of kidnappers that had kidnapped over 15 victims within Kaduna State and along the Abuja/Kaduna Expressway. My major role as a member of the gang was to supply arms and ammunitions which they used for their operations. They always give me my own share depending on the ransom paid by the family of the victim. I joined my gang members five years ago and we are staying within the Zaria and Kaduna axis.”

CP Ayoku said that he has ordered for a meticulous investigation in a bid to arrest other members of the gang as well as recovering their operational logistics for prosecution.

CP Ayoku added that the Police Tactical Team has mounted surveillance across all inlets in and out of Kaduna State which resulted in the arrest of Ali Shuaibu, a 60-year-old man from Kano State who escaped from Kuje Maximum Prison when terrorists attacked the facility. He was rearrested on July 17, 2022.

CP Ayoku also said that all necessary and proper investigation would be conducted before handing over the suspects to the Nigeria Correctional Services for proper placement. He tasked officers not to relent in their efforts to effectively tackle all forms of crimes and criminality in all critical areas of the state.

CP Ayoku explained further that a joint police/military team of Operation PUFF Adder and Operation Thunder Strike on June 7, 2022 intercepted a group of armed bandits at Sabon Sara village while attempting to gain access to the Kaduna/Abuja Highway. Two Chinese nationals and two others were recovered from the kidnappers, he said.

He further said that the victim has been conveyed to a hospital for medical attention while recovered exhibits were being analysed. He said they were working hard to arrest the injured bandits.

The police boss stated that police operatives who raided all the hideouts of the bandits on July, 10, 2022 recovered sophisticated weapons which the bandits used to terrorise the Jare axis of the highway. He said his men have been able to recover some sophisticated weapons including pump action, AK-47 rifles, Dane guns and cartridges of 30 rounds of ammunition, adding that the Kaduna/Abuja Expressway had become safer for commuters.

CP Ayoku stated that on July 23, 2022, the operation Puff Adder dislodged bandits who attacked and abducted farmers in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna state, neutralized two of the assailants.

He said the armed bandits kidnapped an unspecified number of farmers working at their farms at Timburku Village, Galadimawa Ward of Giwa Local Government Area.

“We mobilised our Operation Puff Adder personnel who had a hot engagement with the armed hoodlums. They prevailed with their superior fire power, leading to the neutralization of two of the bandits with the recovery of AK-47 rifles loaded with two rounds of line ammunition, one motorcycle and a machete. The farmers were rescued unhurt,” he stated.