[News] Suspected kidnapper arrested during attempt to procure arms and ammunition with N1.2m in Niger state

Operatives of the Niger State Police Command have arrested a suspected kidnapper, Mohammed Bande a.k.a Kachalla, during an attempt to procure prohibited arms and ammunition continued kidnapping and cattle rustling activities.

Spokesperson of the command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, June 15, 2023, said police operatives arrested the suspect in Gurara Local Government Area of the state and recovered N1.2M from him.

“On 14/06/2023 at about 1500hrs, based on credible intelligence received, police operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit attached to SCID Minna arrested one Mohammed Bande a.k.a Kachalla aged 54yrs of Saminaka village Lapai LGA, with a sum of one million, two hundred and seven thousand naira,” the statement read.

“The suspect was arrested in Lambata area of Gurara LGA for being suspected to be in possession of cash to purchase arms and ammunition, as indicated by the intelligence received.

“During interrogation, he confessed that the money was given to him by one Gora of same village presently at large, to meet a yet-to-be-identified arms dealer at Lambata to procure AK-47 ammunition.

“He further said that the purpose of the intended procurement was to boost their arms capacity for continued kidnapping and cattle rustling activities around Saminaka, Lapai, Lambata and its environs, while he also said that he was promised of two hundred and fifty thousand naira for the transaction.

“However, effort is ongoing to apprehend the said Gora who is on the run, with a view to arrest others, as the suspect is under investigation in SCID Minna.”