The Kaduna state police command said it had arrested 1,137 suspected criminals in the past two months.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday at the command’s headquarters in Kaduna, Audu Dabigi, the commissioner of police in the state, said the arrested suspects include 73 armed robbers, 79 kidnappers and 985 phone snatchers.
Dabigi also said five AK47 rifles, seven locally made rifles, 1,817 rounds of ammunitions, eight vehicles and seven motorcycles were recovered from the suspects within the same period.
Giving details of the arrests, he said a suspected Railway Vandal – Naim Mikaila, a resident of Kajuru, was found in possession of 100 pieces of railway tracks without providing satisfactory explanation for the possession of the railway tracks.
Also arrested, according to the police commissioner, were eight notorious armed robbers, three receivers of stolen items and a Cyber Criminal, who specialises in unlocking phones and alteration of I.M.E numbers.
He said the suspects, namely, Khalid Lawal, Abdulhamid Zubairu and Musa Yusuf were arrested by police surveillance team along Yakowa Expressway, Kaduna.
Dabigi said the suspects who were armed with guns, knives and matchets made confessional statements which led to the arrest of Aminu Aliyu (a.k.a Bosho), Idris Ibrahim, Musa Muhammed, Abubakar Lawal (a.k.a. Dan Master) and Alhassan Musa.
According to the police commissioner, hotels were the main targets of the suspects.
He said some of the hotels within the metropolis targeted by the suspects for their criminal activities includes; ABELLO, Geometry, Harmony and Apple Gate hotels.
He added the suspects robbed lodgers and staff of the hotels of their valuable items like vehicles, mobile phones and computers.
Babigi added that in one of the incidents, the suspects severed the right hand of their victim.
He said two cars, one Tricycle, one motorcycle and 22 mobile phones were recovered from them.
The police commissioner said an AK47 rifle, a locally made pistol and three cartridges were also recovered from a 70 year old man suspected to be a bandit and arrested in Tudun Wada area of Zaria.
The police commissioner express gratitude to the Inspector General of Police IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for his persistent support and guidance towards greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Dabigi also commended the Kaduna state governor, Senator Uba Sani for his continuous support and commitment to enhancing the security of in the state.
He commended residents of the state for their support and cooperation which he described as the backbone of police success.
By John Shiklam in Kaduna
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