- Mops up cache of arms, ammunition
From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
the strategic initiative taken by the Kebbi State government to combat trans-border crime and improve security in the state has yielded good result as the special committee made a major breakthrough.
For Kebbi State, sharing borders with Mali, Niger and Benin republics has been a source of concern as it has had to contend with the influx of illegal immigrants, armed robbers, kidnappers, cattle rustlers and other criminals, who use the border areas to perpetrate heinous acts against people of the state.
To combat the growing menace posed to the security of the state, the state governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, established a security committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Col Samaila Yombai Dabai (retd), with the Special Adviser (SA) to the Governor on Security, Major General Issa Dan-Hane (retd) and representative of the Nigeria army and other security agencies in the state as members. Through intelligence gathering and close monitoring of criminal activities in the border areas, the operational units of the committee arrested robbers, cattle rustlers and kidnappers, who provided useful information during interrogation. With the information obtained from them, gallant soldiers from 1 Battalion, Dukku Barracks, Birnin Kebbi, stormed the hideouts of the criminal gangs and recovered 68 single and double rifles, 25 pistols as well as two AK47 automatic weapons.
They also arrested robbers and kidnappers, who were brought to the Government House in Birnin Kebbi by the Commanding Officer of the 1 Battalion Dukku Barracks, Captain Aliu Adams in the company of Maj. Gen. Dan-Hane (retd), the SA Security Matters.
Addressing journalists after displaying some of the arms and ammunition recovered from the suspects at Government house, Major General Dan-Hane said the suspects were arrested at Koko, Bagudo, Yauri and Zuru areas of the state.
He said that the suspects had been terrorizing motorists and passengers on the Jega-Koko-Yauri highway for many months before they were apprehended by the security agents working under the direction of the security committee.
Elated by the breakthrough recorded by the committee, Dan-Hane said: “With the arrest of these suspects, Jega-Koko-Yauri highway is now free for motorists and other road users. Their arrest was based on the intelligence report and surveillance by security agents under our security committee.”
The retired general added that some members of the suspected armed robbers and kidnappers gang earlier arrested by the committee repented and gave useful information that led to the arrest of other members of the various gangs of armed robbers and kidnappers.
The arrested suspects were not allowed to speak with journalists in order not to foil efforts to apprehend other suspects who are still on the run.
Recall that Governor Bagudu recently led his security aides to arrest three suspected armed robbers who took refuge in a hotel in the state capital. The robbers specialized in snatching motorcycles from commercial motorcyclists at night.
The Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Musa Hassan Kalgo, while speaking with Sunday Sun on the closure of the guest house said: “Some nefarious activities are taking place in Baya Kara area and reports available to the state government showed that the guest inn is the hideout of criminals that pose a threat to the security of people around the area. Governor directed that guest inn be closed and all its occupants arrested and interrogated. If they are found guilty, they would be charged to court.”
Commenting on the achievement of the security committee, Governor Bagudu commended the members for their efforts and promised that the state government would provide more logistics to the committee for it to do more on improving the security of the state.
“Now our people can sleep with their two eyes closed. Travellers can now go on roads freely and feel secured. We, on our part, we will give you more logistics so that you can do more,” the governor said.
Meanwhile, Kebbi State Police Command has continued to apprehend criminals in the state. Recently, the command arrested two suspected rapists, Malam Ibrahim and Yohanna Mudi for allegedly defiling young girls, aged 10 and 12 years old, in different villages in Kalgo and Zuru local governments areas of the state.
Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim M. Kabiru, who confirmed their arrest disclosed that Dantani Sani, a 45-year-old man who raped a nine-year-old boy to death in Zauro town was also arrested. He told Sunday Sun on July 31, this year, one Abubakar, the father of a 12-year-old girl in a village in Kalgo LGA reported at the Divisional Police Headquarters, Kalgo, that his daughter went to the bush to cut grasses for the animals, where a certain Malam Ibrahim, aged 25, pursued her and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her.
Again, on August 6, one Mohammed residing in a village in Zuru LGA, reported at the Zuru Police Station that one of his daughters, aged 10 was allegedly raped by 25-year-old Mudi, while she was rearing goats.
The police commissioner further said that on August 3, a 45-year-old man, Dantani Sani, residing in old Sabon Gari area of Zauro town was arrested following a report that he had carnal knowledge of a nine-year-old boy, Ibrahim Muhammadu Dangi, who later died.
“As a result of the ordeal, the boy started purging and vomiting and later died on the same date at about 8.30pm,” the police boss said. He disclosed that the police arrested seven armed robbers, two notorious highway robbers from Benin Republic and two kidnappers who had been terrorising residents of Bagudu, Wasagu-Ribah, Maiyama and Birnin Kebbi areas. He said that they had been snatching motorcycles and cars in the areas.