Katsina police recover 109 pieces of anti-aircraft ammunition from armed terrorists

KATSINA State Police Command has recovered 109 pieces of anti-aircraft ammunition and arrested 999 suspects in various operations as part of a clampdown on terrorist activities within the state.

Reeling from the effects of widespread criminality, large swathes of Katsina State are currently being controlled by armed bandits. Governor Aminu Masari has launched several initiatives to combat the situation but all to no avail as the bandits have rejected entreaties to lay down their arms and embrace an amnesty programme.

According to Sambo Isa, a spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, the recovered arms include four general purpose machine guns, 44 AK-47 rifles, one Lar assault rifle, one G3 rifle, 20 locally made guns and 689 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition. He added that 1,243 domestic animals including 867 cows, 352 sheep, 24 goats and one donkey were also recovered.

Mr Isa said: “Some of the suspects include armed robbers, kidnappers, cattle rustlers among others. A total of 157 suspected armed robbers were arrested and 145 of the suspects were charged to court while the remaining 12 are under investigation.

“Also, 65 suspected kidnappers were arrested and 63 charged to court while the remaining two are under investigation. We succeeded in arresting 244 suspected cattle rustlers, of which 230 suspects have been charged to court while the remaining 14 are under investigation.

“In the course of this campaign, 38 suspected bandits were neutralised in various gun battles while five police officers paid the supreme price." He added that 246 suspects were arrested for rape and unnatural offences, while 63 victims were rescued in four reported cases of human trafficking and transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons office in Kano State.