KADUNA — The Kaduna State Police Command has announced a series of arrests and weapon recoveries across the state, including the apprehension of a suspected gun runner caught with rifles, ammunition and hard drugs hidden inside a sack of potatoes.
Briefing journalists on Thursday, the Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, said the operations reflected the Command’s continued commitment to “intelligence-led policing, strategic operations, and collaboration with sister security agencies and members of the public.”
According to the Commissioner, the Command received a distress call on August 25 from Yan’Karfe Motor Park in Sabon Gari, Zaria, reporting a man behaving suspiciously while struggling with a sack. Operatives who responded arrested the suspect, identified as 39-year-old Kenneth, a native of Delta State, and recovered two AK-47 rifles, 228 rounds of RPG ammunition, 275 rounds of 7.62mm AK-47 ammunition, five AK-47 magazines and suspected hard drugs concealed in the sack. CP Muhammad commended the swift response of the divisional police team and urged residents to remain vigilant.
Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) arrested three suspected members of an armed bandit gang on August 24 along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway at Audu Jangwam. The suspects — Ibrahim Muhammad (“Alti”), Usman Tukur (“Mallam”) and Hassan Alhaji Salisu (“Tagwaye”) — reportedly confessed to operating around the Millennium City area of Kaduna. Investigations are ongoing ahead of prosecution.
A separate operation on July 22 led to the arrest of Gideon Martins in Sabon Tasha following surveillance on suspicious movements. A search reportedly turned up a locally made double-barrel gun, a handcuff, live ammunition, a POS machine, a drilling machine and security uniforms. He remains in custody pending the conclusion of investigations.
Police said a stop-and-search operation along Kachia Road on August 25 led to the interception of a motorcyclist carrying 134 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition in a sack. The suspect reportedly told police he had been sent to deliver the consignment to a bandit known as “Yellow Mai-million.”
On August 15, police on patrol along the Zaria-Kano Expressway approached men loading sacks into an unregistered Volkswagen Golf station wagon. The occupants fled, abandoning eleven sacks later found to contain dried leaves suspected to be cannabis. A manhunt for the fleeing suspects is ongoing.
In a joint operation with ABU Security and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), police arrested three suspects — Jamilu Yau (“Jagwa”), Abdullahi Hamisu (“Maikudi Santsi”) and Sani Abubakar (“Gaye”) — in connection with a string of armed robbery and rape cases around Rafin Tukurwa, behind Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. According to police, two of the suspects confessed to using a “charm” allegedly supplied by Hamisu, and to carrying out additional attacks in Gidan Kira, Magata and Gidan Maranta villages, where victims were robbed at knifepoint and sexually assaulted. The Command said further complaints have since been received against Hamisu and appealed to the public for more information.
In Idon-Gida, Kajuru LGA, a resident’s pursuit of a phone thief on August 19 led to the arrest of 27-year-old Barnabas Amale, who allegedly brandished a pistol at pursuers before being caught by community members. Investigations reportedly implicated a second suspect, Victor Patrick, who allegedly passed the firearm to Amale after receiving it from one Oyou Movel, who remains at large.
Detectives led by ASP Sa’ad Maitafsir tracked and recovered a Toyota Hilux belonging to the Kaduna State Water Board, which had been stolen from Ungwan Rimi. The vehicle was intercepted in Kano State on August 18 following a chase, though the suspects escaped into the bush.
Operatives of the Anti-Car Theft Section, SCID, led by ASP Yusuf Musa, arrested two suspects — Abdullahi Abubakar and Shehu Sani, both of Makera in Kajuru LGA — in connection with an armed robbery and vandalism at the Infectious Disease Centre in Mando on August 26. Police said the suspects and accomplices still at large scaled the facility’s perimeter fence, tied up five security guards, and vandalized a transformer.
CP Muhammad strongly condemned the attack, describing it as “serious sabotage against the public health and safety of all,” and called on residents to help protect government infrastructure in their communities.
The Commissioner thanked the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, and Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, for their support, and praised residents for providing credible information that aided the operations.
He also appealed to the judiciary to allow the continued parading of suspects arrested in the act or found with recovered exhibits, arguing that it helps deter crime and keeps the public informed of police efforts.
“We shall continue to intensify intelligence gathering, strengthen community engagements, and sustain targeted operations against armed banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, vehicle theft, and other forms of criminality,” CP Muhammad said.
All suspects mentioned remain in custody, with investigations ongoing ahead of prosecution.
