Robbery, Kidnapping Suspects Kill Police Officer In Kwara

Kwara CP., Mr. Lawan Ado

The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lawan Ado, said the command has arrested members of a robbery and kidnapping gang who allegedly killed an operative of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Corporal Machi Yusuf, who was a corporal.

The suspects are Abubakar Mohammed, SanniAbubakar, Sani Isa, AbubakarTuku, LawalAhmadu and Mohammed Jantu.

He said on Friday that the suspects were involved in rustling 233 cows while one AK47 rifle with six live ammunitions were recovered from the suspects.

While parading the suspects and others accused of other crimes, Ado said the command got information on the movement of some cattle rustlers and kidnappers through intelligence sharing with the Mokwa Police Station in Niger State.

According to him, the suspects had allegedly escaped from Kwara State. He stated that on December 12, 2017, SARS operatives arrested the suspects and transferred them to Kwara for discreet investigation.

The CP said many of the rustled cows had been handed over to their owners, adding that the few remaining cows whose owners had not shown up for collection would be auctioned according to due process.

Ado said, “Regrettably, Corporal Machi Yusuf, (Force No. 274148), lost his life during an exchange of gunfire with the kingpin of the gang, Adamu Abacha, who opened fire on the SARS operatives when they were trying to arrest him.

“He escaped into the bush. But while policemen were combing the bush, his dead body was found beside a shallow grave where he buried his AK 47 rifle.”

Meanwhile, the CP said a report at the Yashkira Police Station showed that unknown gunmen kidnapped one Alhaji Hassan Taiye at his mosque.

According to him, two of the culprits wore Army uniforms and were armed with AK 47 rifles. He added that the victim was taken away in a Toyota Corolla after the victim’s guard was shot in the process.

Ado told journalists that the victim’s vehicle was later abandoned along the Yashkira/Kosubosu Road, adding that after an investigation, two suspects – Mohammed Yar(aka. RuaChumo) and Tambaya Abubakar– were arrested while three unregistered motorcycles were also recovered.

The CP said the command also arrested three suspects – Ibrahim Alhaji, Mohammed Audu and Mutari Abdulkareem- for armed robbery.

Ado said, “On January 13, at about 7.30am, Abdulkadri Ibrahim of Baburu compound, in Lafiagi reported at the Lafiagi Police Station that on the same date at about 1.25am, while at home with his family, five armed men invaded his house and robbed them of N65,000 and inflicted injuries on him.

“Investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department led to the arrest of the suspects, who have confessed to the robbery and other crimes in the area. Exhibits recovered from the suspects are; one Dell laptop and mobile phones stolen from some of their earlier victims.”

The CP said all the suspects would soon be arraigned.