Police nab wanted bandits’ informant, 11 robbery suspects in Abuja

A sought logistic provider and informant for a kidnapping and banditry ring terrorising the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its vicinity has been apprehended by police.

According to reports, the suspect, Mohammed Hamza a.k.a Auta, was apprehended near the Mongoro Forest by the FCT Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit.

The Police Public Relations Officer in FCT, SP Josephine Adeh disclosed this in a statement on Saturday night.

“The suspect, who has been on the wanted list of the Command, is being held for his involvement in supplying firearms, ammunition and other weapons; food items and illicit drugs to the criminals in their various hideouts in the forests using a motorcycle,” the statement read.

Exhibits recovered from the suspect include one AK47 rifle, AK47 ammunition, one mobile phone, foodstuffs and an unregistered boxer motorcycle.

She said the Command is intensifying its investigation to identify and cut off the criminal supply chain and arrest other members of the gang.

Similarly, the Command arrested 11 criminal suspects for various crimes including illegal possession of firearms, illegal fabrication and production of small arms and light weapons, and armed robbery, amongst other crimes.

The suspects were identified as Daniel Williams 51 yrs, Mohammed Yusuf 41 yrs, Abdulrasheed Abdullahi 26 yrs and Aminu Mohammed 41 yrs. They were arrested in Zuba area of the FCT by operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB).

Exhibits recovered from the suspects included four locally made firearms as well as one live cartridge.

“Preliminary investigations by the Police revealed that the gang was involved in fabricating and producing small and light weapons locally,” the police spokesperson added.

Also the operatives of Utako Divisional Police Headquarters on June 7 arrested eight suspected armed robbers at one Amala Garden in Utako.

Upon arrest, three firearms of different calibre, knives and hard drugs were recovered from them.

The suspects were identified as Sani Ibrahim, 41 yrs old from Gere LGA of  Borno State, Yusuf Ilyasu aka Tablet, an ex-convict, 25 yrs old from Plateau State,  Awala Lawal an escapee from Kuje prison, 22 yrs old of Kano state, and Hassan Daudo, 34 yrs old from Borno State.