Taraba Police Smash Rapist Gang, Recover Rustled Cattle

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

Taraba State Police Command has smashed a gang that has allegedly being kidnapping and raping under-aged girls in Jalingo. In the same vein, the Command equally recovered 142 cows and 26 sheep from cattle rustlers in Serti, Gashaka local government areas of the state.

Parading the four man gang at a press conference held at the command yesterday, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yakubu Yunana Babas said the suspects were arrested by a team of State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) at their den in Tudun Wada area of Jalingo.

Babas disclosed that the father of one of the victims of the gang, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi had reported to SARS office in Jalingo on July 28 that his under-age daughter, who got missing on July 22, informed him that a group of persons numbering 10 forcefully took her inside a tricycle to one Dickson Zadin’s room and took turns to rape her severally.
Based on the report, according to the CP, the police swung into action immediately by raiding the gang’s den where Abdullahi’s daughter and two other minors were rescued. The Police boss further stated that four members of the gang were arrested in the operation while the remaining six are still on the run.

Those arrested, according to Babas are Muhammed Musa (21), Abdulwahab Ahmed (19), Dickson Zadin (20) and Yahuza Ahmed (20) years old respectively.
He however assured the public that the remaining six suspects would be arrested and brought to book just as he advised parents to ensure that they don’t send their wards on errands alone particularly in the night.

“Serious efforts are currently being made to arrest the suspects on the run and bring them to book to serve as a deterrent to others. Let me also use this opportunity to advice parents to ensure that their female children do not move about alone or at odd hours,” he said.

Presenting the 142 cows and 26 sheep recovered from rustlers to newsmen at Government Science Secondary School, Babas said the animals were intercepted in collaboration with Tabital Pulaaku Vigilance Group after a fierce gun battle with the rustlers.

“Upon the receipt of an intelligence information, a team of policemen with vigilantes were drafted to the area and on sighting our men, the rustlers engaged them in a shootout but due to the superior power of my men, the rustlers took to their heels abandoning 142 cows and 26 sheep”
Enjoining genuine owners of the cattle to come forward with genuine proof of ownership, Babas disclosed that three people have so far come forward and had identified some of the animals to be their own.