Police operatives have arrested three suspected members of a gunrunning syndicate in connection with the December 24, 2023, attack on some communities in Plateau State.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, announced this at a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, January 9, 2024.
Adejobi said the arrest of the suspects followed an order by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to emplace tactical strategies to bring to book, the perpetrators of the attack.
He said one ash-coloured Golf car, one AK-47 rifle, one AK-49 rifle, 1,000 rounds of live ammunition, and five magazines were recovered from the suspects.
The police spokesman stated that efforts were being made by the police to apprehend others involved in the attack, adding that the public would be updated as events unfold.
Adejobi disclosed that nine suspects were on December 13, 2023, arrested by police operatives over the attack and murder of three people in the Gaube area of Kuje Area Council of Abuja.
He said the suspects were arrested following a report that three persons, who were on transit from Keffi, Nassarawa State, to Niger and Kwara states were attacked and killed by gunmen.
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He said the operatives of the Special Tactical Squad (STS), following the report, swiftly swung into action and arrested nine suspects.
The police spokesperson said six of the suspects were identified as members of the hunters and forest guard in the Kuje area of Abuja.
Adejobi said the suspects, who had confessed to the commission of the crime, abandoned the bodies at Kabi forest and made away with their Bajaj motorcycle to an unknown location at Takuba village in Kuje.
He noted that the corpses were photographed, recovered, examined, and confirmed dead by a medical practitioner before they were identified and released to their families for burial.
He said the deceased Bajaj motorcycle was also recovered, adding that an investigation into the incident was still ongoing.
Adejobi said police operatives also arrested a suspected armed robbery and kidnap kingpin, terrorising Nasarawa State and its environs for being in possession of one AK 49 rifle and ammunition.
He said the suspect, who used the riffle and ammunition for robbery and kidnapping activities, was arrested following credible intelligence.
The police spokesman said the suspect confessed to the police during an investigation that another suspect, currently at large, had one AK 47 rifle, used by the gang to terrorise Nasarawa State.
Adejobi added that efforts were in place through technical intelligence to arrest the fleeing suspect and recover the firearm.
Adejobi disclosed that 67 suspects were arrested by the operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Special Tactical Squad (STS) of the Nigeria Police over various criminal offences.
He said 5,454 rounds of different calibres of live ammunition, 300 live cartridges, 68 rifles, 19 different brands of vehicles, and four motorcycles were recovered from the suspects.
Adejobi said 23 daggers/swords, 50 empty shells of ammunition, 8 different makes of handsets, one POS machine, and 33 ATM cards were also recovered.
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