CRIME: Police arrest suspected kidnappers terrorising residents in Katsina State; some disguised as women in Hijab and Niqab

The Katsina State Police Command has arrested suspected kidnappers terrorising residents of the state.

Briefing newsmen on Monday, the Command's spokesperson, DSP Gambo Isa, said the four suspects were arrested following a tip off, adding that they were planning to kidnap four-year-old boy.

"On 04/04/2018 at about 18:00hrs, based on a tip off, the Divisional Police Officer, GRA Division Katsina, CSP Garba Isah, succeeded in busting a notorious syndicate of kidnappers terrorizing Katsina state and its environs.

"The DPO received a distress call of unusual movement of two men with one among them wearing Hijab and Niqab covering his body and face like a woman very close to INEC State Headquarters Office, GRA, Katsina. The DPO swiftly swung into action and led a Surveillance team to the area. The following suspects were arrested with Hijab and Niqab.

*Mubarak Babangida, 2, of Dutsen Safe Low Cost *Abubakar Lawal Suleiman, 19, of Kerau qrts, 
*Aliyu Lawal,22, of Adoro Qrts, Katsina and Nura *Abdulhamid alias Bazgi, 22, of Filin Pipes Katsina

"The suspects confessed to be planning to kidnap one Muhammad Rabi’u ‘m’ aged 4yrs, a son to one Alhaji Rabi’u Gide, Katsina state Assistant Accountant General. Investigation into this case in ongoing."

In a similar development, the command arrested armed robbery and kidnapping suspect at DanmusaLocal Government Area of the state.

"On 09/03/2018 at about 14:00hrs, based on a tip off, the Command succeeded in arresting one Gambo Lawal ‘m” aged 26yrs of Danmusa LGA of Katsina state.  Nemesis caught up with him, when he and other members of his syndicate (now at large) were planning to kidnap one Alhaji Mustapha Kabir ‘m’ of Dogon Gida Qrts, Danmusa LGA, Katsina state.  Several SIM cards used in the commission of the offence were recovered from him during police investigation.  Suspect has confessed to the crime and other similar armed robbery/Kidnapping incidents in the area.  Effort is on top gear to arrest other members of his syndicate"

Isa said the last four suspects were arrested in Kafur Local Government Area of the state. The suspects, through a phone call,  threatened to kidnap and kill one Haruna Bello and Yusuf if they refused to pay a ransom of three million Naira.

"The Command succeeded in busting a syndicate of armed robbery/Kidnap for ransom syndicate at Kafur LGA of Katsina state.  On the 01/03/2018 the complainants one Haruna Bello and Nuhu Yusuf all ‘m’ of Gozaki village, Kafur LGA of Katsina state reported that, they were threatened through telephone calls, by unknown persons that they  will be kidnapped and killed if they did not send the sum of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000:00K).  Consequently, they paid three hundred thousand to the hoodlums with the promise to pay the balance later in order to avoid been kidnapped or killed. Thereafter, they reported the matter to DPO Kafur and immediately the Command’s Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS)  swung into action, traced and arrested the following suspects in connection with the case:

*Joshua Yohanna ‘m’ aged 22yrs 
*Musa Ibrahim ‘m’ alias “KAMFANI” aged 25yrs
*Nafiu Umar ‘m’ aged 32yrs
*Kabir Lawal ‘m’ aged 28yrs all of Kafur LGA Katsina state.

The suspects have confessed to the offence. SIM cards used in the commission of the offence and other incriminating evidence were recovered from their possession during police search. They were found to be the ones terrorizing Kafur and Danja LGAs of Katsina state.