From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command said it has arrested one Matthew Vaaswem, who specialises in supplying weapons to kidnappers and other criminal gangs operating along Tungan Maje in the FCT and Gawu axis of Niger State.

The 30-year-old old man according to police spokesman Yusuf Mariam was arrested at Tipper-Garage, Gwagwalada by operatives of the Gwagwalada Division.

Yusuf said in a statement that the suspect was found to be in possession of two single barrel Dane guns and two locally fabricated short guns at the time of his arrest.

The PPRO also said the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad working in conjunction with vigilantes and hunters rescued three hostages along Sabon Gari and Shapete Villages of Kwali axis.

Yusuf’s statement reads:

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The FCT Police Command on Monday 16th August 2021 arrested one Matthew Vaaswem ‘m’, 30 years, who is suspected to be supplying firearms to suspected kidnap syndicates operating along Tungan Maje in the FCT and Gawu axis of Niger State.

The suspect who confessed to the crime was arrested at Tipper-Garage, Gwagwalada by eagle-eyed operatives of Gwagwalada Division. Preliminary investigation reveals that he belongs to a gun-running syndicate. Effort is in top gear to arrest fleeing suspects. Exhibits recovered from the suspect are: two (2) single barrel Dane guns and two (2) locally fabricated short guns.

Relatedly, on Thursday 19th August 2021 operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad in a Joint Operation with Vigilantes and Hunters rescued three (3) hostages along Sabon Gari and Shapete Villages of Kwali axis. The victims who were taken hostage by armed men in the wee hours of Thursday were rescued during the Joint Operation. The victims rescued are Amina Ahmadu, ‘f’, 20 years, Furaira Yahaya, ‘f’, 27 years, and Jahori Umaru, ‘m’, 35 years.

In another development, Police Operatives from Gwagwa Division arrested three (3) suspected armed robbers. The suspects – one Idris Ibrahim, 21 years, Adamu Husseini, 19 years, and Mohammed Hassan 19 years, all male – met their waterloo while attempting to break into their victims’ residence in Gwagwa. They further confessed to being responsible for terrorising Gwagwa axis. Exhibits recovered include one (1) cutlass.

The suspects will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The Command implores residents to report all suspicious movements, emergency or distress, through these numbers: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653 and 08028940883, also to report the conduct of Police Officers, call the Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) Line: 09022222352.