12 arrested for kidnapping in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested 12 people. This includes eight suspected kidnappers and four alleged informants. They also recovered AK-47 rifles during security operations in Millennium City and Maraban Rido.

The police said the Kaduna State Government released three more Armoured Personnel Carriers. This is to strengthen police work and fight kidnapping and other crimes in the affected areas.

Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, shared this information in a statement on Monday. He mentioned that the operations were done with other security agencies through clearance exercises, targeted raids and patrols.

Hassan explained that the command has increased its operations due to recent security issues in those areas. He added that they are working to break down criminal networks and catch those who support their activities.

The eight suspected kidnappers are Dauda Murna, Usman Abdullahi, Abubakar Sulaiman, Saleh Abdullahi, Usman Muhammed, Mathias Moses, Makama John and Tafarki Audu.

The four suspected informants are Shuaibu Sabiu, Audu Makama, Simon Moses and Amadu Mathew. The command is worried about people who give kidnappers information about police movements. They see these leaks as a serious threat to their crime-fighting efforts.

"Preliminary investigations show that two of the suspects confessed to leaking information about police operations to criminals. This undermines security efforts and puts the lives of security personnel and residents at risk," the statement said.

The police did not name the two suspects who allegedly confessed or provide more details about the recovered rifles. They said investigations are ongoing to find out more about the suspects' involvement, identify other accomplices, and bring everyone connected to these crimes to justice.

In a related matter, the command revealed the state government sent three more APCs to improve security in Millennium City and nearby areas. The statement said this was in response to security issues in the area, aiming to boost the command’s operational ability.

The police mentioned that this new equipment will help ongoing efforts to tackle crime. They assured residents that clearance operations targeting suspected criminal hideouts will continue.

"The command promises residents that we will keep working to dismantle criminal networks, disrupt their activities, and help rescue kidnapped victims," the statement added.

The police also mentioned that a government team led by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Malam Sani Kila, met with traditional rulers, community members and other stakeholders in the affected areas on October 10. They discussed the security situation during this meeting.

The meeting focused on improving cooperation among residents, community leaders, the government and security agencies to tackle the rising threat of kidnapping. Kila reportedly highlighted the need for collective action to ensure peace and public safety.

"He stressed that security is a shared responsibility and urged residents, community leaders, landlords, and youth groups to report anyone suspected of helping criminals and to keep supporting security agencies in their work to maintain peace and public safety," the statement said.

The command pointed out that reliable information from residents is key to finding suspected collaborators of criminal gangs and stopping further attacks. They also noted the geographical challenges for security operations in Millennium City, as the community is mostly surrounded by forests on the outskirts of Kaduna.

In light of this, Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Rabiu, urged residents to stay alert and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station. He also ordered the immediate deployment of more tactical personnel, operational vehicles, and other security resources to the affected areas to enhance the ongoing operations.

The statement said this deployment aims to increase surveillance, improve response times, and prevent more criminal activities. The commissioner asked residents to remain calm and work with security agencies by providing timely and trustworthy information to help fight kidnapping and other crimes.

The command promised to protect lives and property across the state, assuring residents that security operations will keep going. They urged the public to stay vigilant and support efforts to catch suspected criminals and their alleged accomplices.