Troops of the Nigerian Navy School of Armament Technology have arrested nine suspected kidnappers who have been terrorising communities in Kachia Local Government and other parts of Kaduna State.
The troops also rescued 28 kidnap victims who have been reunited with their families.
Speaking during the handing over of the suspects to the Department of State Services on Friday in Kachia, Commandant of the school, Rear Admiral Tanko Yakubu Pani said the success recorded was due to four months surveilence of some dangerous criminal syndicates operating in Kachia and other parts of the state.
He said: “We were able to conduct simultaneous surgical operations to effect their arrest in various locations through effective intelligence network in various locations within the state.
“Some of them were caught in isolated forests where they were hibernating, while others were caught in hotels and their homes.
“The arrested criminals include Abubakar Duguri alias Kure, Saleh Magaji alias Bodori, Idris Iliyasu, Auwal Yahaya, Monore Abu, Mohammed Wakili, Tanimu Ibrahim alias Sambo, Abdullahi Adamu alias Yellow and Umar Alhassan.”
He disclosed that the criminals are responsible for various criminal activities including kidnapping, armed banditry and cattle rustling.
He noted that weapons, motor bikes and military camouflage among other items where recovered from the suspects.
According to the commandant, “Victims of the criminals that were unable to meet their demands were instantly killed, others were either maimed or injured while some of the female victims were raped.”
While appealing to members of the general public and community leaders to assist with credible information about the disposition of criminals in their domain to enable it protect them better, he assured that the Nigerian Navy will continue to do her best in collaboration with other security agencies to protect lives and properties of citizens of the nation.
“We want to further assure the populace that justice can be delayed but not denied as manifested in the arrest of these criminals. The public should not be intimidated by the threats of these criminals which are intended to discourage them from giving in for mating to security agencies, as this is what the criminals aim to achieve by instilling fear in them.
“Criminality of any kind strives only where there is community support. Once there is no such support, criminals do not settle in the community, that is why we must therefore work collectively to ensure that we put criminals out of business by denying them freedom of action, ” he stated.
He maintained that the Service in collaboration with other security agencies is irrevocably committed to locating and flushing out criminal elements in the state.
One of the rescued victims, Peter Zamani said he spent two days with the kidnappers even though N190,000 was paid as ransom.
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