The Kaduna State Police Command says it has intensified its crackdown on criminal activities, recording major breakthroughs over the past two weeks, including the neutralisation of notorious kidnappers, the arrest of 16 suspected kidnappers and the recovery of arms, stolen property and counterfeit foreign currency.
Addressing journalists on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, said the command also arrested six suspects linked to a counterfeit currency syndicate, three suspected gunrunners and recovered 10 firearms of different calibres during separate operations across the state.
According to him, officers also recovered 170 counterfeit United States dollar notes, 190 solar inverters valued at about ₦69 million, one stolen vehicle, 83 packs of hard drugs, 32 stolen mobile phones, two plasma television sets and 410 rustled cattle.
The police said one of the operations began on July 21 after officers received information that a 20-year-old woman, Aisha Barau, was attempting to exchange suspected counterfeit US dollar notes for naira in Ramin Kura Village. She was arrested, and investigations led to the arrest of Abdullahi Muhammad and Danbala Jibrin, whom she allegedly identified as the suppliers of the fake currency. Further investigations resulted in the arrest of other members of the syndicate, who will face prosecution.
In another operation on July 25, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit tracked a suspected gunrunning network to Jos, Plateau State, where they arrested Luka Samuel, John Paul and Musa Elisha. Two locally made pistols were recovered from the suspects, who allegedly confessed to supplying arms and ammunition to bandits. Police said investigations are ongoing to dismantle the entire network.
The command also announced the arrest of Abdullahi Mohammed, popularly known as “Aala”, during a coordinated operation around Kargi Village on July 24. Police described him as a suspected kidnapping kingpin linked to several abduction cases in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State and parts of Kano State. He allegedly admitted involvement in the killing of two members of the Yan Sa Kai vigilante group during an attack last year. Officers recovered an AK-47 rifle and five rounds of live ammunition during the investigation.
The police further disclosed that they recovered a Toyota Sienna stolen from a mosque in Ungwan Rimi, Kaduna, on July 24. Following intelligence-led investigations, the vehicle was traced to Zaria, where Mohammed Shehu was arrested. His confession led detectives to another suspect, Zakari Abubakar, who allegedly specialised in producing duplicate vehicle keys used by car thieves.
On July 26, police foiled a cattle rustling operation after armed bandits attacked Damanko Village in Zaria Local Government Area. Patrol teams engaged the fleeing suspects in a gun battle, forcing them to abandon 80 cattle and 10 sheep before escaping into the bush. Two livestock owners who sustained gunshot wounds during the attack were taken to hospital for treatment.
In another breakthrough, operatives acting on intelligence raided a store in Zaria on July 28, where they recovered 190 solar inverters worth about ₦69 million and 10 lithium batteries valued at approximately ₦9 million. Police suspect the items were stolen from a container transporting goods to Zaria, while investigations continue to identify those behind the theft.
The command also arrested two suspects, Alex Odoh and Daniel Eze, on July 31 for allegedly supplying hard drugs to bandits operating around Kasuwar Magani. A large quantity of illicit drugs worth millions of naira was recovered during the operation. Both suspects reportedly confessed to the offence, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the network.
Commending officers for their professionalism, CP Rabiu Muhammad reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling insecurity across Kaduna State. He said the police would continue working with the military, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, vigilante groups and other security agencies to dismantle criminal networks.
The commissioner also urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, assuring them that the command remains committed to protecting lives and property across the state.
