No fewer than 17 criminal suspects in connection with murder, kidnapping, and armed robbery have been arrested by the military taskforce responsible for the maintenance of peace in Plateau, Bauchi, and Southern Kaduna, code-named Operation Safe Haven (OPSH).
According to the OPSH spokesman, Captain Oya James, on Monday, the troops also recovered arms, ammunition, and illicit drugs during the raids.
He said, “Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) on Operation Hakorin Damisa IV from August 21 to 28, 2023, arrested 17 criminal suspects in connection with murder, kidnapping, and armed robbery, as well as recovered arms, ammunition, and illicit drugs.
“The troops arrested five murder suspects for killing Joshua Deme on his farm at Kassa village in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State. Troops also carried out a sting operation at Jagindi Tasha village in Jema’a LGA, Kaduna State, where a suspected kidnapper, Baba Yusuf Habu, who has been on the wanted list of OPSH, was arrested.
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“Another kidnapping incident was foiled at Angwan Takai village in Bokkos LGA following the prompt response to a distress call by the troops. In a similar development, troops raided the hideouts of criminals at Gwash and Kamantan villages in Jos North and Zango Kataf LGAs of Plateau and Kaduna states and recovered a pistol, cartridges, and rounds of 7.62mm special bullets.”
He said further, “A notorious armed robber, Mohammed Lawal, was also arrested in Kafanchan town by troops, and two fabricated rifles and one pistol were recovered. In the same vein, troops intercepted a truck with registration number EKY617XF conveying vandalised railway tracks along the road to Gidan Ado village in Riyom LGA of Plateau State.
“Also, a drug kingpin, Maxwell Dusu Davou, was nabbed during a sting operation with substances suspected to be illicit drugs at Waye Foundation Du in Jos South LGA. Furthermore, a fighting patrol made contact around the Alaghom and Mangu axes, leading to the neutralisation of some bandits.”
According to him, “A total of 17 arrests were made, nine victims were rescued from kidnappers, six armed robbery attempts were foiled, and four attacks on vulnerable communities were deterred within the period.”