On Tuesday, the Sokoto State Command of the Nigerian Police Force paraded eight suspects for suspected banditry and kidnapping in the state.
The state’s commissioner of police, CP Muhammed Gumel, spoke while parading the accused and urged parents to constantly keep an eye on their children.
The CP, while presenting the suspects, claimed that on December 4 at or around 1435 hours, one Suleman Musa reported to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Sokoto that at or about 1400 hours, unidentified persons conspired to abduct his son, one Musa Suleman, age seven, and held him captive for four days until the ransom of four million naira was demanded from the family members, at which point the boy was freed.
“During police investigation, he confessed to the police on how he conspired alongside with his other gang members and committed the crime. According to him, he committed the crime along with one Abdullahi Umar ‘M’ and Faruku Usman Binji all of Plateau State and Binji LGA, Sokoto State respectively.
“All the suspects are in police custody except Faruk Usman Binji who is still at large. So far, two million, five hundred thousand naira ( N2,500,000.00) cash has been recovered as exhibit from the suspects.”
According to CP Gumel’s further explanation, criminals are carrying out armed robberies, stealing cellphones, starting free-for-all brawls, and injuring multiple victims as a result of complaints made to the central police station.
“On the 6th day of December, 2022, one Abubakar Tukur, a.k.a Aba; Suleiman Abubakar, a.ka. Dan Wanka; and Auwalu Bello, a.k.a Suwari all ‘M’ of Hubbare area, Sokoto were arrested by the police of the Divisional Police Headquarters, Marina, in connection with the offences of criminal conspiracy, political thuggery, being in possession of dangerous weapons, causing grievous hurt and armed robbery. The suspects were arrested with exhibits such as: go-to-hell kind of weapon, long cutlass, knives and scissors.”
Additionally, he mentioned that on December 9 a Professor Bello Bazza, “M” of Sokoto, reported to the SCID that he visited the Juma’at Mosque on the Ali Akilu Road and discovered that his Toyota Vibe, with the registration number AZ 2685 KML, had been stolen. He then reported the incident to the Urogo Police Station and Control Room.
“On 10/12/2022 at about 23000hrs, a good Samaritan was passing around Shehu Shagari College of Education when he noticed a strange person with the vehicle. The attention of policemen at the CID was drawn and the team quickly mobilised to the scene. On noticing policemen approaching the scene, the suspects abandoned the vehicle and took to their hills”
The CP added that on November 20, 2022, at around 1400 hours, the Divisional Police Officer of the Isa LGA conducted a raid at the vicinity of some political parties’ secretariats in Isa town as part of the standard crime prevention measures the police always adopted to maintain the state’s safety and to guarantee peace and order.
Gumel claimed that during the practice, weapons such as an axe, saw, sticks, a Dane rifle, etc. were found in the secretariats of both parties.
He gave the assurance that the police were stepping up their high degree of monitoring and would catch the offenders.
