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Operatives of the FID STS Force Headquarters, Abuja, attached to the Taraba State Police Command, have arrested nine notorious kidnappers and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition in a major operation.
The Command’s spokesperson, ASP James Lashen Saminu, disclosed the development in a statement over the weekend. He revealed that the suspects are members of a notorious kidnapping gang responsible for terrorizing communities across Taraba, Adamawa, Gombe, Plateau, Bauchi, and Kaduna States.
The arrest, carried out on Saturday, April 26, 2025, was the result of a coordinated joint operation involving police operatives, local hunters, and vigilante groups.
“In a sustained commitment to rid Taraba State of the menace of kidnapping, the Command successfully arrested nine suspects and recovered four AK-47 rifles, three AK-49 rifles, and forty-five rounds of live ammunition,” the statement read.
ASP Saminu detailed that, on April 25, 2025, acting on credible intelligence, operatives apprehended three suspects:
- Shehu Ibrahim (27) of Larai Gada, Ilorin
- Abdullahi Haruna (28) of Angwan Karofi, Bauchi State
- Yusuf Bello of Birama village under Donga LGA, Taraba State
During interrogation, the suspects confessed to involvement in multiple kidnapping operations. Items recovered from them include:
- One AK-47 rifle
- Two AK-49 rifles
- Six AK magazines
- Forty-five rounds of live ammunition
Further investigations led to the earlier arrest of six additional gang members:
- Sulaiman Mohammed (28) of Lariski, Gombe State
- Tijjani Bello (30) of Nasarawo, Jalingo, Taraba State
- Muhammed Umar (25) of Sabo Gari, Jalingo, Taraba State
- Adamu Ibrahim (22) of Mutum Daya, Karim Lamido, Taraba State
- Solomon Nathaniel (32) of Logo, Benue State
- Haruna Adamu (25) of Lushi village, Lau, Taraba State
From these suspects, the operatives recovered:
- Three AK-47 rifles
- One AK-49 rifle
- Four AK-37 magazines
ASP Saminu emphasized that all arrested suspects have confessed to participating in various heinous crimes and confirmed their membership in the gang terrorizing the six aforementioned states.
Investigations are ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Taraba State Command, CP Emmanuel S. Bretet, psc (+), has reaffirmed the Command’s unwavering commitment to dismantling criminal gangs and ensuring the safety and security of all citizens in Taraba State.
