Police arrest 11 suspected robbers, rescue kidnap victim in Nasarawa

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Nigeria Police

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By Edwin Phillip, Lafia

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LAFIA — The Nasarawa State Police Command has rescued a kidnapped woman and arrested 11 suspected armed robbers in separate operations across the state.

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The command also recovered a locally fabricated revolver, cutlasses, knives, SIM cards and other items from the suspects.

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The command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Ramhan Nansel, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Lafia yesterday.

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Nansel said the kidnapped victim, identified as Favour Innocent of Ajyga Village, was abducted from her residence at about 9pm on Thursday and rescued at about 8am yesterday in the Nunku Forest area of Akwanga Local Government Area.

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He said the rescue was achieved through the combined efforts of the police, local hunters and youths of the community.

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According to him, following her rescue, the victim was taken to the Primary Health Centre, Andaha, where she received medical attention before being discharged in good condition.

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She has since been reunited with her family, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects, he added.

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On the robbery operation, Nansel said the command received information that armed robbers had invaded a guest house in Area One, Masaka, where they dispossessed lodgers of valuables, including mobile phones and cash.

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He said the Commissioner of Police immediately ordered the deployment of a patrol team to the scene, forcing the suspects to flee after sighting the police van.

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The team pursued the suspects to their hideout, where nine adults and two minors were arrested.

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The adult suspects were identified as Auwal Yunusa, 20; Saltsu Kabiru, 20; Umar Saleh, 22; Abubakar Hassan, 26; Musa Yahaya, 20; Seth Aaron, 20; Victor Hyelanpali, 19; Gift Ezra, 20; and Suleiman Abdullahi, 18.

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The two minors were identified as James Ayuba, 16, and Fahad Abubakar, 15.

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Items recovered from the suspects, according to the police, included one locally fabricated revolver, four cutlasses, one fabricated cutlass, two knives, two bedsheets, eight SIM cards, three head warmer caps, two scissors, counterfeit foreign currencies and original documents belonging to one Kabiru Abubakar.

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The command said efforts were being intensified to arrest other fleeing suspects and recover the remaining stolen items.

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It urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to the police to assist in preventing crime, rescuing victims and apprehending criminal elements.

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The Commissioner of Police, Shetima Jauro Mohammed, directed the DPO of Masaka Division to trace the parents of the two minors or arraign them before the appropriate Juvenile Court in accordance with the law.

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He also ordered the immediate transfer of the adult suspects to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Lafia, for further investigation and prosecution.

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Mohammed commended the police personnel, local hunters and community youths for their cooperation and support, particularly in the successful rescue of the kidnapped victim.

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He assured residents that the command remained committed to sustained intelligence-led operations and effective community partnership in combating crime across the state.

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