Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect confessed to participating in several kidnapping operations across Dukku, Kwami and Funakaye Local Government Areas
By Moses Okorie
The Gombe State Police Command says it has arrested a suspected kidnapper and rescued three abducted victims, including a two-year-old boy, during a joint security operation in the state.
The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement issued in Gombe on Thursday.
Abdullahi said the operation, conducted on Monday, involved personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, military, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), vigilante members and hunters.
He said the joint team carried out a clearance operation around suspected criminal hideouts in Kowagel, Dukku Local Government Area, and parts of Bojude in Kwami Local Government Area.
According to him, the operation led to the arrest of a suspected notorious kidnapper, identified as 30-year-old Manu Alhaji-Sani of Wawa Village in Funakaye Local Government Area.
The spokesperson said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect confessed to participating in several kidnapping operations across Dukku, Kwami and Funakaye Local Government Areas.
He added that Alhaji-Sani also admitted working with other members of his criminal syndicate, who were still at large.
Abdullahi said the suspect’s arrest and subsequent confession prompted the security team to intensify its search and clearance operations in the surrounding areas.
He said the sustained pressure forced members of the syndicate to abandon three victims, who were subsequently rescued by the security personnel.
The victims were identified as 44-year-old Hauwa Sani, 16-year-old Aishatu Sani and two-year-old Umaru Sani, all residents of Jonde Village in Dukku Local Government Area.
The operation also resulted in the recovery of a Honda motorcycle and three keypad mobile phones, which were secured as exhibits.
The command said efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing members of the criminal syndicate and dismantle their network operating across the affected local government areas.
In a separate operation, Abdullahi said police arrested a 37-year-old man found in possession of 2,500 sachets of 100mg Tramadol capsules.
He said the suspect and the recovered exhibits remained in police custody, while investigation into the case continued.