Police arrest notorious bandit, recover weapons, charms in Kaduna

While on patrol in the Kwarkwaron Manu, Basawa council area of the state’s Zaria Local Government Area, Kaduna State Police Command personnel apprehended a known bandit.

Bilyaminu Saidu, 33, of Shuwaki village in Katsina State’s Bakori LGA, was named as the notorious bandit by DSP Mohammad Jalige, the state police spokesman, who confirmed the arrest on Friday.

Jalige in a statement released to journalists on Sunday, also listed items recovered from the hoodlum, who was on a motorbike as of the time of the arrest, to include, four AK-47 rifles, 344 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, 10 telephone handsets as well as charms.

The police spokesman said, “the renewed vigour and commitment of Officers and Men of the Command in ensuring  total compliance with the directive for domination of public space during the festive period and beyond has started yielding positive results.

“On December 23, 2022 at about 1730hrs, operatives attached to Tudun Wada Zaria while on surveillance patrol at Kwarkwaron Manu, Basawa area of Zaria metropolitan intercepted two men on an unregistered motorcycle with bags concealed in a suspicious manner on the motorcycle.

“On being flagged down for search, the motorcycle passenger jumped down and fled, thereby heightening the suspicion of the eagle eyed operatives.

“The motorcycle and the rider who gave his identity as one Bilyaminu Saidu ‘m’ aged 33 years of Shuwaki village, Bakori LGA of Katsina State were immediately subjected to a thorough search which led to the recovery of the following items inside the bags; four (4) AK47 rifles, three hundred and forty four (344) rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, ten (10) Telephone handsets and four (4) charms.

“The arrested suspect has accordingly been taken into custody and preliminary investigation has revealed he and his fleeing accomplice were on a nefarious mission to supply his gang with the offensive weapons.”

He added that the state Commissioner of Police, Yekini Ayoku, had ordered for a thorough and comprehensive investigation to unearth the source and destination of the illicit arms and the arrest of the suspect’s criminal cohorts.

He quoted the police chief to have further assured members of the public that the command would be unwavering in its commitment to ensuring public safety and security in line with the operational guidelines handed down by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.

“The Commissioner of Police further enlisted the support and cooperation of all and sundry to the Police and other security agencies as security provision remains a shared responsibility,” Jalige added.