The Katsina State Police Command reported on Friday the arrest of three suspected infamous arms smugglers and the discovery of a large quantity of live ammunition in Dutsinma.
According to the Command’s spokesperson, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, the arrests mark a major breakthrough in the ongoing fight against armed banditry and gunrunning in the state.
The suspects, identified as Ahmed Mohammed Kabir, 25, from Hayin Danmani quarters, Kaduna State; Mannir Musa, 25, from Dutsinma town, Dutsinma LGA; and Aliyu Iliya, 25, from Dankauye village near Ummadau, Safana LGA, Katsina State, were apprehended on August 29, 2024, at around 12:45 PM. They were caught while attempting to deliver 740 rounds of live 7.62mm ammunition to suspected armed bandits in the Yauni forest, located in Ummadau village, Safana LGA.
During a press briefing at the Command Headquarters in Katsina, ASP Sadiq revealed that preliminary investigations indicated the suspects had received the ammunition from Nasarawa State and were en route to deliver it to a notorious armed bandit leader named Harisu, who is currently at large. The trio has confessed to their involvement in the crime, implicating Harisu as the mastermind behind the operation. The police are continuing efforts to apprehend additional suspects and bring them to justice.
“This achievement highlights our unwavering commitment to combating armed banditry and gunrunning in Katsina State and beyond,” Sadiq stated.
In a related development, the Command reported the arrest of three individuals on August 27, 2024, in connection with an armed robbery in Baure LGA, Katsina State. The suspects—Abubakar Ibrahim, 35, from Dunawa village, Niger Republic; Abdullahi Nafi’u, 35, from Madalla quarters, Abuja; and Adam Musa, 36, from Kano State—were apprehended following a complaint received on August 3, 2024. According to the report, a three-man gang had conspired and attacked the residence of Ukashatu Isah in Kofar Arewa quarters, Baure LGA, robbing him at gunpoint of two mobile phones, a Samsung Galaxy M32 and an Itel A12.
The suspects also used the stolen phones to transfer a total of six million naira (₦6,000,000) from the victim’s bank account into three separate accounts. Acting on the report, detectives swiftly traced and arrested the suspects. They have since confessed to the crime and will be charged to court once the investigation is concluded.