The Kaduna state Police Command has arrested 580 suspects for various crimes, including kidnapping, armed robbery, phone snatching, and theft.
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing journalists on the command’s recent achievements.
According to him, the arrests were made between December 31, 2024, and February 10, 2025, through intelligence-driven operations and collaboration with other security agencies.
Among those arrested are 20 suspected kidnappers, 32 armed robbery suspects, 320 phone snatchers, and five car thieves.
The police also rescued 30 kidnapped victims who have since been reunited with their families.
The command recovered several stolen items, including 34 motorcycles, 10 motor vehicles, and four AK-47 rifles.
Other items recovered include a submachine gun, two pistols, 28 rounds of live ammunition, and 20 bags of substances suspected to be Indian hemp.
Rabiu highlighted some of the key operations that led to the arrests.
According to him, “In one incident, two suspected informants, Inusa Ibrahim and Hamisu Musa, were arrested in Kangimin Gobirawa Village for allegedly providing bandits with names of potential kidnapping targets. The suspects, aged 18, were caught making calls to suspected bandits and have since confessed to the crime.
“Similarly, two notorious motorcycle thieves, Ibrahim Abubakar and Surakatu Usman, were apprehended in the Mando area. The duo allegedly attacked victims with sledgehammers or strangled them with cable wires before making away with their motorcycles. Their receiver, Yahya Muhammad, was also arrested, and five stolen motorcycles were recovered.”
He added, “In another operation, police arrested two notorious criminal receivers, Ibrahim Nura and Musa Abdullahi, in Rigasa. A total of 16 motorcycles and three tricycles were recovered from them. The suspects confessed to working with a syndicate that steals motorcycles and tricycles for resale.
“The command also nabbed a notorious car thief, Abubakar, at a hotel in Mando. A stolen Toyota Yaris, taken from Kano, was recovered from him. The suspect, who has a history of car theft and multiple prison stints, is currently in custody.
“On February 2, 2025, security operatives, acting on intelligence, engaged a gang of armed bandits attempting to relocate kidnapped victims in Kajuru Local Government Area. The bandits were forced to flee, leading to the rescue of 23 kidnapped victims.”
Rabiu however, reiterated the police’s commitment to making Kaduna unsafe for criminals.
He urged residents to provide credible information to security agencies, emphasizing that security is a collective responsibility.
He also commended Governor Uba Sani for his continued support to the police command, pledging to sustain efforts in tackling crime in the state.
