Bauchi State Police operatives have neutralized six suspected kidnappers terrorizing Bauchi communities in the Ningi Local Government Area of the state in collaboration with local hunter groups.
During the operation, the police also recovered N4.580,000,00 from the kidnappers’ den after a gun duel.
The neutralized kidnappers were alleged to have masterminded the killing of over 8 persons, including two traditional rulers in the Kada and Gamiji communities of Burra District, Ningi in July this year.
The Commissioner of Police Bauchi Command, CP Auwal Musa Mohammed, disclosed this during a press conference in Ningi on Wednesday.
“If you may recall, sometime in July 2023, eight (8) people were killed, including the traditional ruler of Kada and Gamji village via Ningi LGA, and kidnapped other residents to unknown destinations.
“Consequently, the Command raised a team of detectives in conjunction with quasi-security outfits, (Ahmed Ali Kwara) and successfully engaged the Kidnappers/Bandits in a gun duel, on 26th December 2023, at about 0403hrs and neutralized six (6) of the kidnappers,” he said.
The Commissioner of Police said exhibits recovered from the kidnappers include two AK47 rifles; 55 live ammunition; four empty magazines; a Golf-3 model taxi; 7 new Airtel sim cards; 3 Tecno keypad phones; 2; iTEL keypad phones and a Bontel keypad phone.
Similarly, suspected stolen items recovered from the include 7 Tecno Android phones; 4 Infinix Android phones; 4 Tecno keypad phones; 24 pieces of mobile battery, and 190 pieces of recharge cards for MTN and Aitel networks.
Mohammed said preliminary investigation revealed that the bandits, within two weeks, invaded three villages around Ningi, including Bukutumbe, Iyayi, Kayadda, and Gamji village, where they shot four people and killed one member of Vigilante at Bukutumbe, and proceeded to Kiyawa LGA, Jigawa State where they kidnapped two wives of the Chairman Kiyawa LGA, Jigawa State.
“It’s worth noting that the groundbreaking record of the Command would be attributed to the strategic review of the Command operations through a robust partnership with Ahmed Ali Kwara hunters’ group with headquarters in Azare town,” he said.