Army Arrests Kidnap Kingpin On Watchlist in Adamawa

Daji Sani in Yola

The  23 Armoured Brigade, yesterday, arrested 24 suspects including a Kidnap Kingpin named Salihu Ibrahim, who was Found in possession of a submachine gun with five rounds of 9mm ammunition and a  baretta pistol.

The brigade commander, Brigadier General Mohammed Jibrin Gambo, made the disclosure in a press briefing at the bridge headquarters in Yola Adamawa State

He further explained that the suspected kingpin has been on the force watchlist for the past three years, adding that the suspect has been identified as the mastermind behind most of the kidnappings in the area and even in southern parts of the country

“Intelligence personnel have been monitoring his movement for the past one month and he was in Port Harcourt for about three weeks before his arrival at Naude on April 7th  and subsequent arrest on 10th April 2023.”

“Following his arrest, a Nigeria Army-led  joint operation for recovery of arms was launched along Naude Hills, where he described as the place where his cattle, his brother and other accomplices were camped.

“Although most of the suspects deserted the camp on arrival of the troops, the aforementioned weapons were recovered with suspected rustled cattle and sheep that have been handed over to the Miyetti Allah under the supervision of the joint  forces,” he said

The commander said this briefing was necessary because of the special incidents recorded during several internal security operations carried out by the bridge and also  to provide an avenue for interaction between the brigade and the general populace.

He said the brigade has also intensified efforts to ensure the activities of miscreants were reduced to the barest minimum within Adamawa

Gambo said in the past eight months, the brigade had recorded successes in taming the tide of criminal attacks on communities and individuals within its operational areas, using both Kinetic and non-kinetic operational approaches to achieve successes which led to the arrest of 22 syndicates of kidnappers , some with AK-47 riffles  , others with locally made weapons

“While some good numbers of them were with cash amount ranging  to millions of naira, which they collected from their victims as ransom, these items have been handed over for investigation and subsequent prosecution,” he said.