The Kano State Police Command has arrested 36 suspected kidnappers who
have been terrorizing inhabitants of the ancient city of Kano through
kidnapping and taking hostages for ransom.
Three of the suspected kidnappers were among those earlier granted amnesty
by Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje but suddenly found
themselves in a police net, this time for kidnapping rather than cattle
rustling and armed robbery.
Parading the suspects at the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Command,
the State Police Commissioner, Maigari Dikko, said that 21 of the victims
were rescued. A total of 35 kidnapping cases were reported to the Command.
Mr. Dikko said the feat was recorded within one and a half after resuming
office, adding that in his efforts to track down kidnappers, he embarked
on an assessment tour of areas mostly affected, like Sumaila, Kibiya and
Rano Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State.
The Commissioner explained that in the course of the operations, one
suspect and a victim lost their lives after more than three hours gun
shooting with police officers Anti Kidnapping Unit.
Mr. Dikko also disclosed that a three-man gang of kidnappers were arrested
in Katsina State by the Kano State anti-kidnappers unit, who took a
seven-year-old girl hostage, demanding N120,000 ransom from the girl’s
parents, prior to her rescue, which after investigations revealed that the
kidnapper is the immediate brother to the girl, all and they are the
childrens of the sme mother and same father.
The Commissioner said that one Idris Bello, 28, of Kauru LGA, Kaduna State
was arrested for conspiring with nine others now at large to kidnap the
step-mother to a member of the Kano State House of Assembly, representing
Doguwa LGA.
Another syndicate of kidnappers, who were arrested at Gomo Village in
Sumaila LGA, conspired with 11 others now at large, kidnapped an old-age
father of a member representing Sumaila in the Kano State House of
Assembly and snatched N110,000 from him but was eventually rescued.
Mr. Dikko said during the period under review, another gang of 50 armed
bandits stormed the house of former House member Garba Shehu, who
represented Kibiya LGA, shot dead one Kabiru Baba Wuro, and kidnapped
three persons. The police were able to rescue the victims.
Kano State police seized several weapons and ammunitions during the
arrest, including, six AK-47 assault rifles, six locally fabricated
rifles, three locally fabricated pistols, 63 live ammunitions, 97 live
cartridges, 215 empty shells of live ammunitions, 13 GSM handsets, as well
as N138,000 cash.
Furthermore, the police boss appealed to the Kano Emirate Council to
sensitize the general public on the need to give the police the necessary
cooperation, synergy, timely and accurate information to bring criminal
activities in the State to the barest minimum.