The police also recovered dozens of AK-49 and AK-47 rifles being used by kidnappers and bandits in Abuja and other parts of the countr
A total of 36 suspects largely males with a female was paraded by the high command.
Parading some the suspects arrested mainly through painstaking intelligence by the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT), led by DCP Abba Kyari and Special Tactical Squad (STS) led by DCP Yusuf Kolo, the Nigeria Police spokesman, Frank Mba, a Commissioner of Police said the IGP was committed at restoring peace and tranquility in the country.
One of the kingpins of the 7-man kidnapping gang in Abuja and environs identified simply as Musa noted that they have carried out three major kidnapping job in Kubwa, Suleja and Gwari and made a whooping N9million in one of their operations.
“We operate with five AK-49 rifles. We are seven in our gang. We have carried out kidnappings in major parts of Abuja. We follow our victims, especially rich people and kidnap them.”
All their operational rifles were recovered by police operatives.
Another suspect, Umaru Mohammed who stockpile AK-47 rifles in the engine compartment of his SUV, confesses that he supplies them to nomadic Fulani in Akure, Kwara and Ekiti.
According to Mohammed who spoke in Hausa, I use this vehicle to ferry the guns to Fulani herdsmen in Kwara, Ekiti and Akure. We store the arms inside the engine so that we can beat security checks. Also, when policemen see that I am an old man, they don’t bother checking my vehicle.”
Five car syndicates specialized in stealing cars at park were also arrested.
The syndicates developed a master key, which can open any car.
Some of the suspected criminals arrested were mainly Sexagenarian and Septuagenarians.
According to Mba, “We have discovered a new trend of fronting old men by men of the underworld. We have noticed that elderly men are now participating much in crime. They are taking advantage of the fact that African culture gives respect and honour to old people to beat our security checks. We shall now ensure that our policemen are now vigilant.”
Suspected thieves who specialised in vandalizing the new rail tracks built by government were also arrested with 3 trucks loaded with rail tracks.
They were on their way to supply them to an Iron and Steel company in Calabar when police operatives swooped on them following intelligence.
Detectives at the STS said they are working towards arresting the buyers of the rail steels.
CP Mba warned bandits and kidnappers across the country to surrender and give up their arms as police dragnets have been spread in all states of the federation.
In the course of this investigation, a total of 12 assorted weapons made up of 8 AK-49 rifles, 3 AK-47 rifles and one locally made weapon were recovered.
Also recovered from the suspects are 20 AK-47 magazines, 346 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 24 rounds of live cartridges, a cash sum of 1.4 million naira recovered from some kidnapped suspects, six stolen but recovered cars retrieved from some of the car thieves among other exhibits.