Operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder have arrested 93 suspected kidnappers and bandits in parts of the North.
Among weapons recovered during the special operation were a rocket launcher and 45 AK47 assault rifles.
The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Frank Mba. Mba, said that a comprehensive investigation had begun to track and disrupt sources of arms supply, as well as apprehended and bring to deserved justice sponsors and collaborators.
He said: “The unrelenting and aggressive counter-kidnapping strategies of the police in the fight against kidnapping and other heinous crimes in the country have continued to yield positive results as police operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder recorded yet another harvest of criminal elements.
“A total of 93 kidnap suspects were arrested from different parts of the North-Central, North-Western and North-Eastern parts of the country. In addition, operatives of Operation Puff Adder recovered one rocket launcher, 35 AK47 rifles, 10 locally-made AK47 rifles and 500 live ammunition.
“Also recovered from the hoodlums are eight locally-made revolver pistols, 10 pairs of military cam-ouflage uniform, two operational vehicles, and other incriminating items.”
Mba disclosed that the operation leading to the arrest and recovery of arms and ammunition, was undertaken by a joint team of operatives from Operation Puff Adder, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), among other special forces.
He said: “Police investigators backed by their counterparts in the Forensic and Technical Intelligence units have commenced comprehensive investigation of all the 93 suspects arrested in these operations.
“The investigations among other things are aimed at tracking, uncovering and disrupting the sources of arms supply to the criminal groups, as well as identifying their collaborators, and bring ing all involved in these heinous crimes to justice.
“The operations leading to these arrests and recoveries were carried out by joint team of police operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder, North-Central sector. “The team consists of detectives from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Force Intelligence Unit, Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Special Tactical Squad (STS). Other operatives in the Joint Mission include personnel from the Police Mobile Force (PMF) the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Protection Unit (SPU) and the Special Forces.
“The massive achievements recorded by the Nigeria Police Force within the last few days are in line with the objectives and core mandates of Operation Puff Adder as an initiative of the Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP M. A. Adamu, aimed at curbing all kinds of violent crimes within our society.
The achievements are also indicative of the fact that the security agents are now winning the war against the criminal elements.”
The IGP, while commending police operatives for their sacrifice and resilience, reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police to restoring sanity on highways and inner cities.
He further expressed his gratitude to the general public for providing credible intelligence that has helped the police in achieving the successes recorded so far. Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Aji Janga, has assured farmers in Birnin Gwari and other volatile areas that it was now safe for them to return to their farms.
According to him, the new operations, being conducted in synergy with all the commanders of various units have achieved tremendous success.
“Farmers who farm on Kaduna- Abuja Expressway, Birnin Gwari and other volatile areas can go back to their farms, it is now safe,” he said. One of those arrested, who claimed to be a cleric, Salisu Abubakar, said he was aware that his clients belonged to criminal gangs, but that he only supported them with “good luck charms”.
