The Zamfara police command says it arrested five notorious suspects involved in banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and illegal possession of firearms.
A citizen of Niger Republic, Shehu Ali Kachalla, who is a notorious gunrunner, confessed that he had been in the business for more than three years.
The suspects were paraded at the Police Headquarters by the spokesperson of the Command, SP Shehu Mohammed on Friday.
According to him, the arrest followed collaboration between the police and the state leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).
Mohammed stated that the suspects had been terrorising various communities in Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina states in the North West, and Niger state in the north-central part of the country.
Items recovered included four AK-49 riffles, nine magazines, 960 live ammunition, and assorted charms.
He further disclosed that efforts of the joint operation of the Federal Intelligence Investigation Bureau and Special Tactical Squad deployed by the Inspector General of Police to rid Zamfara and the north-west region of crime, led to the arrest.
They were alleged to have kidnapped the younger brother of one Dr Dauda Lawal and confessed that they collected N20 million ransom, as well as received N10 million ransom for the abduction of the daughter of one Engineer Yahaya Maradun.
The foreigner revealed that he had sold 4,500 rifles to different criminal gangs across the north-west region.
Abubakar Ali, another notorious kidnap suspect from Niger state, said he was operating within Kagarko and Chikun local government areas of Kaduna state.
He also confessed that he had been in the criminal business for three years and had killed five of his victims who could not afford to pay ransom to regain freedom from captivity.
According to the suspect, their leader pays them between N600,000 and N700,000 in any abduction that attracts N20 million ransom and above.
The Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs in Zamfara, Abubakar Dauran witnessed the parade of the suspects at the Police Headquarters.
He promised that the state government would not relent in its continuous effort to bring a lasting end to criminality in the state.
Dauran appealed to the residents to join hands with government and security agencies in bringing down the activities of criminal elements making life unbearable to innocent citizens.
