Operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command have foiled a suspected kidnapping attempt in Makarfi Local Government Area of the state, arresting four suspects in separate operations and recovering three locally made firearms and 300 rounds of live ammunition.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, disclosed this in a statement, saying the operations were carried out between September 20 and 21.
According to Hassan, the first incident occurred in the early hours of September 20, when suspected armed bandits attacked a resident in Gimi Ward, Makarfi Local Government Area.
He said operatives from the Makarfi Divisional Police Headquarters, supported by local vigilantes, responded to a distress call and engaged the attackers in a gun duel.
The suspects reportedly fled into the bush during the encounter, but one of them, a 20-year-old man, was wounded and subsequently arrested.
Police said a locally made rifle loaded with three live cartridges, a locally made pistol containing one live round, and a bag containing charms were recovered from the suspect.
In a separate operation in Gwantu, police arrested another suspect who was allegedly carrying a locally fabricated pistol and using it to intimidate residents.
The suspect was tracked and arrested on September 21, with the firearm recovered from his possession.
The third operation focused on a suspected arms-trafficking syndicate operating around the Giwa Local Government Area and the railway station axis of Kaduna.
Hassan said detectives attached to the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit acted on credible intelligence and conducted surveillance before arresting two suspects believed to be connected to the syndicate.
The operation resulted in the recovery of 270 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and 30 rounds of Type 06 ammunition, bringing the total number of recovered live rounds to 300.
The police said all four suspects are currently in custody, while investigations are ongoing to determine the source and intended destination of the ammunition and establish the involvement of other persons in the suspected arms-trafficking network.
The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, commended the police operatives and local vigilantes for their prompt response and bravery during the operations.
He directed the command to intensify efforts to apprehend fleeing suspects and urged residents to continue providing credible and timely information to the police to support ongoing security operations.
