The Zamfara State command of the Nigeria Police Force has arrested a female gunrunner supplying arms and ammunition to the notorious armed bandit known as Dawa.
The suspect, Gaje Abdullahi, was among the criminals arrested by the force in recent operations in the state.
Abdullahi,a native of Katsina was reportedly arrested on November 29 by Police Tactical Operatives.
Current Matters gathered that the suspect had been giving information to bandits, making the efforts of the police fruitless during their operations.
While parading the suspect alongside six others at the command headquarters on Thursday in Gusau, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Shehu, said the suspects were arrested for offences related to banditry, arms supply, intimidation, and extortion.
Shehu confirmed that the command also arrested six other suspected bandits and kidnappers alleged to be sending messages to members of communities to pay levies or face attacks.
The suspects are Jamilu Mohammed of Gadar Manya village, Zayyanu Barmo of Manya Babba village, Abubakar Usman of Mandau Village, Lauwali Girkau of Girkau village, Sala Girkau of Girkau village and Abubakar Yahaya of Tungar Mani Village.
“On 29th November 2022 at about 1615hrs, Police Tactical operatives arrested six suspects who pretend as bandits to place levies on their host communities. As a result, they collected millions of Naira through a bank account they created for this purpose.
“In the course of the investigation, all the suspects confessed to the crime and further stated that part of the activities was to send threatening messages to the villages to either pay money or face an attack. They further confessed to receiving millions of naira from five different communities. The discreet investigation is ongoing aimed at apprehending other suspects that involve in this crime,” the police report revealed.
In the same vein, the police also rescued 15 kidnap victims, including a one-year-old baby who was abducted from the Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina.
The report added, “Police Tactical Operatives in collaboration with Vigilante acted on intelligence information regarding the abduction of 15 victims by bandits, terrorist at Dike village in Funtua LGA of Katsina State.
“The Police operatives on receiving the intelligence information mobilized to the location and conducted a search and rescue operation at Sabon Garin Dustin Kaura Forest in Danjibga district of Tsafe LGA. The rescue operation was successfully conducted, leading to the rescue of the victims Hale and Hearty.”
