The Nigerian Army, on Monday, said that troops of Operation Safe Haven, have neutralised suspected bandits, recovered arms and illicit drugs, and arrested 73 suspects in connection with kidnapping, criminal attacks, cattle rustling, gunrunning and farm destruction in Plateau, Bauchi and Kaduna States.
A post on its verified handle on X (formerly Twitter) partly read, “On October 18, 2023, troops of Operation Hakorin Damisa IV arrested 16 suspects in connection with the murder of two women, Victoria Wetsan and Nagung Sale, while working on farmland at Binkwaghas Village, panyam district of Mangu LGA, and also arrested nine suspected kidnappers namely; Abdullahi Yahuza, Dante Chuwang, Abdullahi Haruna, Haruna Dauda, Nura Abubakar, Mohammed Abdusalam, Adam Aliyu and Mahmoud Labiru, who have been terrorizing Jos North and Barkin Ladi LGAs of Plateau State.
“Also on October 19, 2023, troops arrested two suspects, Mohammed Yusuf and Aliyu Adamu, in connection with the isolated killing of one Yahaya Adamu at Kibul forest in Riyom LGA, and arrested four suspects; Anass Abdullahi, Abdulmalik Abdullahi, Aliyu and Nuhu Mohammed, for attacking one Irimiya Nuhu and Arron Anthony, along Gwom-Kwok village in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State.”
The statement added that “further investigations led to the recovery of a Toyota Picnic vehicle with registration number KTU 48 GU, and an AK 47 rifle concealed in a bush.”
It was also noted that a notorious kidnapper took off at a stop-and-search operation, abandoning his car, at the Barkin Ladi LGA in the state.
“In the same vein, on October 19, 2023, troops raided hideouts of suspected kidnappers at Horop, Kawel, Mushere villages and Moonshine Hotel in Bokkos LGA and arrested 21 suspects currently in their custody for investigation.
“Also, on October 20, 2023, a notorious kidnapper, Mallam Mamman on the wanted list of security agencies abandoned his Ford Galaxy vehicle with registration number PKN-693XA during a stop and search operation at Bisichi checkpoint, Barkin Ladi LGA and escaped. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the suspect for prosecution.
“Likewise on 16 October 2023, troops arrested 4 suspects, Mr Philip Kwam, Juak Anyuwu, Daniel Benjamin and Ezekiel Samuel for harbouring criminals and in possession of illicit hard drugs following a raid operation in the criminals’ hideout. On 20 October 2023, troops in conjunction with Vigilante Group of Nigeria arrested one Bukam Daniel in connection with a theft at Gol village in Bokkos LGA.”
The Army noted further that while acting on credible information, the troops ambushed suspected bandits, arrested one while others fled with gunshot wounds, and recovered an AK47 rifle in Bura village, Ningi LGA Plateau State.
“In addition, on 17 October 2023, troops of OPSH arrested four suspected kidnappers, Mallam Sale, Dibbo Abubakar, Umaru Abdullahi and Jabbo Adamu at Yamini and Kuka villages in Shendam LGA of Plateau State. Preliminary investigation linked the suspects with the recent kidnapping of one Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi.
“On October 20, 2023, OPSH troops arrested three suspects for car theft along the Bauchi-Jos expressway and handed them over to the Nigerian Police for prosecution. Similarly, one Abdullahi Ibrahim was arrested for motorcycle theft at Gidan Waya in Jema’a LGA of Kaduna on October 21, 2023,” the statement read.
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