By Wilson Adekumola
The operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have arrested a 25-year-old man identified as Mohammed Hamza popularly known as Auta, a wanted logistic supplier and informant to a kidnapping and banditry group terrorizing the FCT and its environs.
According to Tribune, the suspect who was arrested at the Mongoro Forest by anti-kidnapping unit of the command was made known in a statement issued to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, stating that, “The suspect, who has been on the wanted list of the Command, is being held for his involvement in supplying firearms, ammunition, and other weapons; food items and illicit drugs to the criminals in their various hideouts in the forests using a motorcycle. Exhibits recovered from the suspect include one AK47 rifle, AK47 ammunition, one mobile phone, foodstuffs, and an unregistered boxer Motorcycle.
“Investigations are being intensified to identify and cut off the criminal supply chain and arrest other members of the gang.”
According to the statement, similarly, the Command arrested twelve (11) criminal suspects for various crimes, including illegal possession of firearms, illegal fabrication and production of small arms and light weapons, and armed robbery, amongst other crimes.
“The suspects; Daniel Williams “M,” 51 yrs, Mohammed Yusuf “M,” 41 yrs, Abdulrasheed Abdullahi “M,” 26 yrs, and Aminu Mohammed “M,” 41 yrs, were intercepted and arrested in the Zuba area of the FCT by operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB).
“Four (4) locally made firearms and one (1) live cartridge were recovered from the suspects. Preliminary investigations by the Police revealed that the gang was involved in fabricating and producing small and light weapons locally.”
The statement added that, “The operatives of Utako Divisional Police Headquarters on 07/06/2023 at about 1900hrs following a tip-off actionable intelligence arrested eight(8) suspected armed robbers at one Amala Garden in Utako. Following the arrest, three firearms of different calibres, knives, and hard drugs were recovered from them.
“The suspects are Sani Ibrahim ‘M’ 41 yrs old from Gere LGA of Borno State, Yusuf Ilyasu AKA Tablet, an ex-convict ‘M’ 25 yrs old from Plateau State, Awala Lawal, an escapee from Kuje prison ‘M’ 22 yrs old of Kano state, Hassan Daudo ‘M’ 34 yrs old from Borno State, Abbass Gidado ‘M’ 18 yrs old from Katsina state, Shamsu Haibu ‘M’ 35 yrs old from Kano, Sani Suleiman ‘M’ 37 yrs old from Kano state and one Shehu Jimoh and ex-convict ‘M’ 26 yrs old from Kogi State.
“While an investigation is ongoing on all cases, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Police Command, CP Haruna G. Garba psc, wishes to reiterate his resolve to crush crime and criminality in all its manifestation within the FCT, as he warns all criminal elements to steer clear of the FCT and its environs.”
