Police in Kaduna have arrested 12 suspected kidnappers and recovered arms as its operatives intensify efforts to rid the state of criminal elements.
State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, in a statement, said joint security operations had been conducted in Millennium City, Maraban Rido and surrounding areas, resulting in the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers.
Those arrested were identified as Dauda Murna, Usman Abdullahi, Abubakar Sulaiman, Saleh Abdullahi, Usman Muhammed, Mathias Moses, Makama John and Tafarki Audu.
Four suspected informants, Shuaibu Sabiu, Audu Makama, Simon Moses and Amadu Mathew, were also arrested. AK-47 rifles were recovered during the operations.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that two of the suspects allegedly confessed to leaking information about police operations to criminal elements, thereby undermining security efforts and endangering the lives of security personnel and residents,” the statement said.
Police added that the Kaduna State Government, following due consideration of the security challenges in Millennium City and its suburbs, had released three additional Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to the police command to strengthen its operational capacity and enhance security in the affected areas.
The command assured residents that clearance operations targeting criminal hideouts would continue to dismantle criminal networks, disrupt their activities and facilitate the rescue of kidnapped victims.
It added that, as part of the command’s commitment to strengthening security, the Commissioner of Police had ordered the immediate deployment of additional tactical personnel, operational vehicles and other security resources to the affected areas to intensify surveillance, improve response times and prevent further criminal activities.
Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, urged members of the public to remain calm, vigilant and cooperative with security agencies by providing credible and timely information to assist in the fight against kidnapping and other criminal activities.
