11 undergraduates, 7 others arrested for homicide, kidnapping

Operatives of the Force Intelligence Bureau Intelligence Response Team (FIB-IRT) have arrested 11 undergraduates and some notorious criminal suspects.

The operatives have also unravelled a close of murder which seemed unsolved with the arrest of those involved in criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, and kidnapping in June 2022.

The arrest followed a charge on the tactical and operational squads by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, on the need to ensure cases are investigated to a justifiable and reasonable conclusion.

The suspects, Hashimu Galadima (aka Kan-Wuka) aged 48, Abdulwahab Alhassan (aka Emeka) aged 31, Abdulwahab Ahmed (aka Dan-Mama) aged 35, and Alh. Modu Saleh, all of Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi State, were arrested for their involvement in kidnapping and robbery operations within Bauchi State and its environs.

Force spokesman, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the suspects confessed to the murder of one Hon. Musa Mante, a serving member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly from Dass LGA in August 2020, and the kidnap of his two wives and one-year-old daughter.

The suspects similarly confessed to the murder of one Mallam Dahiru Suleiman, and a retired Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP Garkuwa, who they claimed was a bane to their free operation in the area.

Similarly, 11 suspects who confessed to being members of an unlawful society, specifically the Black Axe Confraternity (aka Aiye) were arrested in Ekpoma, Edo State, following reports on their nefarious activities within the area.

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The suspects – Okosun Pascal (22), Michael Ehineboh (24), Aneto Israel (22), Destiny Uhomogiwan (23), Bello Sunday (20), Eramoh Akhere (27), Osagie Adamson (22), Okoruwa Christian (24), Edoghogho Wellington (all 9 from Esan LGA of Edo State), Momoh Kingsley (20) from Estako West LGA of Edo State, and Chukwu Chukwuemeka (24) from Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State, are all university undergraduates.

Exhibits recovered from the suspects are 2 AK 47 Rifles, 3 pump action guns, 1 locally made pistol, 2 AK47 Magazines, 22 live rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 17 rounds of 5.56mm K2 Ammunition, and 3 live cartridges.

Operatives of the FIB-IRT equally apprehended the trio of Murtala Ibrahim (37), Suleiman Rabiu (28), and Surajo Sani (aka Mandula) aged 39, for kidnapping and providing information to other notorious kidnap gangs on likely victims of their crime.

The suspects who operate within Yankwani and Kurami Towns in Bakori LGA of Katsina State carried out the kidnap of a man, his wife and two children from whom they obtained a ransom of N30 million.

The FIB-IRT recovered a total of 27 firearms including 10 AK rifles, 1 G3 rifle, 8 pump action guns, 3 locally made pistols, 3 English double-barrelled guns, 633 rounds of live ammunition of different calibres, 8 expended cartridges, and one cutlass from the suspects in the course of investigations.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has assured well-meaning members of the society who are stakeholders in security, of the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensuring that all criminal suspects are dealt the full blow of the law upon arrest.

All the suspects will be arraigned in court on completion of investigations.

The Star