- Safiu Kehinde
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force has arrested two suspected bandits and kidnapping kingpins responsible for violent crimes across Katsina, Zamfara, Niger and Kwara States.
The suspects were reportedly apprehended on the 19th of December by the operatives attached to the Force Intelligence Department-Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) in collaboration with the Kwara State Police Command.
As disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, the suspects were intercepted and arrested at Komen–Masallaci village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The suspects were identified as 26-year-old Abubakar Usman, alias Siddi, and 30-year-old Shehu Mohammadu, alias Gide.
Usman is believed to be notorious on social media especially TikTok where he displays money believed to be proceeds of kidnapping.
During the operation, the following items were recovered from the suspects: one brand new Honda Ace 125 motorcycle, red in colour, valued at N1.8 million.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the motorcycle was purchased with proceeds of ransom payments.
Also recovered from the suspects were N500,000.00 cash, being unspent ransom money and one AK-47 rifle with a magazine loaded with 20 rounds of live ammunition.
Further investigation revealed that the suspects are members of a notorious banditry and kidnapping gang terrorising communities across Zamfara, Katsina, Niger and Kwara States.
The gang also doubles as suppliers of arms and ammunition to criminal elements.
Hundeyin disclosed that suspects are currently cooperating with investigators to enable the arrest of other members of the syndicate and recovery of additional weapons.
The Police spokesperson further recalls that one of the suspects, Abubakar Usman (alias Siddi), was recently identified as the individual seen in a viral video flaunting firearms and large sums of money on social media.