Police arrest 38 for kidnapping, banditry in Northwest, burst international gun-running gang

The Nigeria Police Force has announced the arrest of 38 persons suspected to be involved in Kidnapping and banditry in the Northwest.

According to the force, the suspects were arrested by the Intelligence Response Unit, Special Tactical Squad and Counter-Terrorism Unit attached to Operation Puff Adder in the North-West between May 25 and June 3.

The force also arrested a four-man international arms-smuggling syndicate, recovering 24 AK-47 rifles from the suspects who specializes in operating between North Africa and West African countries, recovering 6,000 AK-47 live ammunition from them.

A statement on Monday by the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, Emeka Mba, gave the names of the suspects as Ojoomo Olugbenga (45), Oladimeji Adeogun (50), Habib Musibau (24), and Thomas Olumuyiwa (54).

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They were apprehended at Saki, a border town between Nigeria and Benin Republic in Oyo State.

Mba also said investigations revealed that the syndicate specialises in smuggling weapons and ammunition from North Africa through the Sahel region and supplying same to their criminal partners in Nigeria.

He said: “In addition, 24 AK-47 rifles, four pump-action shotguns, 11 dane guns, 10 English pistols, two single barrel guns, one set of Army camouflage and 22 cartridges were recovered from gangs in different parts of the country.

“Thirty-eight suspects were also arrested for their different roles in various criminal operations ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry and cattle rustling.”

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