By Ahmed Ahmed
Police Command in Bauchi State has neutralized six suspected bandits and kidnappers, a gun duel between the police team of detectives in Ningi local government area of the state.
The Command Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Musa Muhammed, disclosed in a news briefing on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at Ningi Area Command in Ningi LGA.
He said it was a breakthrough in the fight against banditry and kidnapping activities in the State, six suspected kidnappers have been neutralized by the State Police Command.
“The development followed a gun duel engaged between the police team of detectives in conjunction with quasi-security outfits, led by Ahmed Ali Kwara, on December 26, 2023, at about 0403 hrs.
“Two AK47 rifles, fifty-five live rounds of ammunition, four empty magazines, N4, 580,000.00, one Golf 3 blue, seven new Airtel SIM cards, three Tecno keypad phones, two Itel keypad phones, and one Bontel keypad phone were recovered from the den of the bandits and kidnappers.
According to him, stolen items recovered from the kidnappers included seven Tecno Android phones, four Infinix Android phones, four Tecno keypad phones, twenty-four pieces of mobile batteries, and 190 pieces of recharge cards for both MTN and Aitel networks.
“To begin with, I am excited, nostalgic, and anxious to stand before you members of the Fourth Estate of the realm.
“I must express my profound gratitude to the Governor of Bauchi, Sen. Bala Muhammad Abdulkadir, for his unwavering commitment to the security of the state.”
The Police Boss said that the briefing is coming at the right time considering the security situation in our country.
“As you will all agree with me at this very moment, our security system is facing a significant challenge; consequently, all hands must be on deck to ensure a free and peaceful environment in our society.”
Musa said that it is important because we all need a violence-free society to triumph in all our various endeavours, safety, and security are both requirements for the development and attainment of a good quality of life for any human society
They provide the requisite enabling environment for citizens to live and work towards the social, economic, and political development of the society.”
“Furthermore, as often said, the citizens remain the most important asset in law enforcement, and the more accountable we are to them, the more trust is engendered, partnerships are strengthened, and community safety is guaranteed.
Robert Peel’s principles of policing emphasize that “the people are the police, and the police are the people.”
CP Musa stressed that the unrelenting and aggressive counter-kidnapping strategies of the Command in the fight against kidnapping and other heinous crimes have continued to yield positive results as the operatives of the Command and other sister security agencies recorded yet another harvest of criminals and elements.”
The CP explained that During this organized, courageous operation, the Command was able to pull apart kidnappers and banditry syndicates due to the intense superior firepower by the Police, in collaboration with quasi-security outfits Ahmed Ali Kwara, so many kidnappers were neutralized while others scampered in disarray and escaped with bullet wounds into the nearby bush.”
“If you may recall, sometime in July 2023, eight people were killed, including the traditional ruler of Kada and Gamji village via Ningi LGA, by the bandits and kidnappers who kidnapped other residents to unknown destinations.”
He disclosed that 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 worthy to note that the groundbreaking record of the Command would be attributed to the strategic review of the Command operations through a robust partnership with the Ahmed Ali Kwara Hunters Group with headquarters in Azare town,” he added.