Bauchi Police arrests 39 kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists

BAUCHI State Police Command has arrested thirty-nine suspected criminals suspected to be kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists and political thugs in various locations across Bauchi State just as it has launched a special operation codenamed ‘Operation Puff Adder’ in a determined effort to rid the State of crimes and criminalities.

The Commissioner of Police, Ali Aji Janga while launching the operation on Thursday at the State Police Headquarters in Bauchi said that the arrest of the suspects and recovery of the arms was as a result of the operation’s intelligence effort alertness.

While parading the suspects alongside the exhibits recovered from them including 39 wraps of Indian hemp, five Dane guns, nine cutlasses, 1 sharp knife, axes and three motorcycles the Police Commissioner said that the inauguration of the special squad was in compliance with the directive of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu disclosing that the Squad is directly under his supervision as Commissioner of Police.

According to him, the operation comprises of the conventional Police, Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorist Unit, Special Protection Unit, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, State Intelligence Bureau and the State Criminal Investigation Department.

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He further said that “The aim of the operation is to tackle crimes affecting the state such as political thuggery popularly called ‘Sara Suka’, Kidnapping, Armed Robbery, Cultism and activities of Babeli groups among other crimes.”

Ali Janga added that ” It is to also prevent the influx of criminal elements into the state considering the ongoing security operations in the neighbouring states as Bauchi State has borders with seven states of Kaduna, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe, Yobe, Jigawa and Kano.”

“When we say Operation Puff Adder, it is arresting all criminal elements, checkmating their activities and mopping up all arms that were given to them by politicians,” he explained.

He added that: “So far, the operation is yielding positive results as a lot of criminal activities in the state were nipped in the bud while a total of thirty-nine suspects have so far been arrested in connections with different crimes mentioned above.”

Ali Janga said that the special operation will be extended to all the five area Commands pointing out that he had directed all the area Commanders to launch the same operations in their areas.

He warned criminals to stay clear of the state as all criminal elements will be rooted out from their hideouts wherever it may be and noted with concern that: “you know these politicians empowered these youth with arms during the elections and now that the elections are over, they will now lynch their havoc on innocent people especially in Bauchi State. These, the Police and other security agencies in the state will never allow happening.”

After the launch, the Commissioner of Police led the squad in a convoy of vehicles branded with stickers of the operation to go round major streets of the metropolis as a show of Force as well as to create awareness among the people that the Police is on alert to combat criminals and criminality.