Operatives of the Bauchi Police Command have destroyed a trans-border kidnapping gang in Giade local government area of Bauchi State.
The feat was achieved with the collaboration of local hunters in the area.
According to Auwal Muhammad, the Bauchi Command Police Commissioner, who spoke with journalists on Monday, a team of police and hunters had engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel yesterday, resulting in the death of all five kidnappers, who had been a thorn in the flesh of residents of Burra, Ningi, Jama’are, Itas-Gadau, and Giade local government areas of the state.
He said: “Tapping from the fruits of collaboration with relevant security agencies, on the 11th February 2024 at about 0200hrs, information at the disposal of the Command indicated that some unknown people numbering about five (5) armed with AK-47 riffles, invaded Giade LGA with the sole aim to kidnap innocent citizens of the locality.
“On receiving the information, a team of detectives in collaboration with Ahmed Ali Kwara Hunters Squad, swiftly swung into action and engaged the suspected kidnappers in a gun duel. As a result, all of the suspected bandits were neutralised instantly.
“Furthermore, the kidnappers were the same gang who kidnapped one Emeka of Itas-Gadau some time in the year 2023 and collected the sum of ten (10) million naira as ransom; they also kidnapped one person in Giade and collected the sum of Seven hundred and seventy-four thousand nairas (774,000).
“The suspected kidnappers were not limited to kidnapping and criminal activities but also engaged in a hire killing of people. They were paid and they killed/burned to ashes one Ibrahim Dodo of Baranda village Jigawa State.”
Muhammad added that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspected kidnappers came to the area on the invitation of one Abdullahi whose surname is still unknown.
The Commissioner disclosed 103 live ammunition 7.62x39mm caliber of AK47 riffle; three live ammunition 9mm caliber; four Cartridges; five magazine; Two locally made Pistol; One AK-47 riffle; One AK-49 riffle and one locally-made AK-47 were recovered by the security operatives.
