A 46-year-old man has landed in the custody of the Niger State Police Command in Nigeria after he allegedly offered to bribe an officer for the release of a bandit.
The suspect, Samaila Jagaba, was said to have offered the sum of N200,000 to secure the release of 35-year-old Bala Bako, a suspected bandit.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, on Thursday stated that the culprit was arrested by officers attached to Shiroro Division following a tip-off.
According to Abiodun, Bako – a native of Gurkuchi village in Chukun Local Government Area of Kaduna State – was on 8 August 2020 arrested with a locally-made pistol and one live cartridge by operatives on surveillance at Kwata market, Zumba village in Shiroro council.
He added that the suspect, during interrogation, confessed to have purchased the pistol from a yet to be identified person at Wukoko village in Chukun local government area of the state.
PPRO Abiodun appealed to residents in the state to assist the police with information that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of criminal elements in the state.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Wednesday at a town hall meeting on peace and security in Zuru, Kebbi State, pointed out that the lingering banditry in the North-West and North-Central parts of Nigeria could have an international dimension to them.
We have arrested Sudanese, Nigeriens and Malians, among other nationals in recent times, he said.
“We also believe that because of what is happening in the North-East and the fact that the military troops are doing a great job in the fight against insurgency there, most of the bandits are running toward the North-West of the country and we have evidence.
“When we operated in Kaduna, Birnin Gwari, where we attacked a group of bandits, we realised that most of them are terrorists, kidnapping for ransom.