Plateau, Bauchi, and Kaduna Regions Witness Significant Anti-Crime Operations
In a decisive crackdown on criminal activities, the Nigerian Army’s Operation Safe Haven has reported a series of successful operations, including neutralizing suspected bandits, seizing arms and illicit drugs, and arresting 73 individuals connected to various criminal acts in Plateau, Bauchi, and Kaduna States.
The operations were announced through a statement released on the official Twitter handle of the Nigerian Army.
The key highlights from the statement include:
Operation Hakorin Damisa IV:
- On October 18, 2023, Operation Hakorin Damisa IV arrested 16 suspects linked to the murder of two women, Victoria Wetsan and Nagung Sale. The victims were tragically killed while working on farmland at Binkwaghas Village in the Panyam district of Mangu LGA.
- Additionally, nine suspected kidnappers, Abdullahi Yahuza, Dante Chuwang, Abdullahi Haruna, Haruna Dauda, Nura Abubakar, Mohammed Abdusalam, Adam Aliyu, and Mahmoud Labiru, were apprehended. These individuals had been involved in terrorizing Jos North and Barkin Ladi LGAs.
Additional Operations:
- On October 19, 2023, two suspects, Mohammed Yusuf and Aliyu Adamu, were arrested in connection with a killing at Kibul forest in Riyom LGA.
- Four suspects, Anass Abdullahi, Abdulmalik Abdullahi, Aliyu, and Nuhu Mohammed, were arrested for attacking individuals along Gwom-Kwok village in Barkin Ladi LGA.
These operations also led to the recovery of a Toyota Picnic vehicle with registration number KTU 48 GU and an AK-47 rifle hidden in a bush. Notably, a notorious kidnapper abandoned his car during a stop-and-search operation in Barkin Ladi LGA.
On October 19, 2023, troops carried out a series of raids on suspected kidnapper hideouts in Horop, Kawel, Mushere villages, and Moonshine Hotel in Bokkos LGA. A total of 21 suspects were arrested during these operations.
In another operation, on October 16, 2023, four suspects, namely Mr. Philip Kwam, Juak Anyuwu, Daniel Benjamin, and Ezekiel Samuel, were arrested for harboring criminals and being in possession of illicit hard drugs.
The operations also extended to Shendam LGA, where four suspected kidnappers—Mallam Sale, Dibbo Abubakar, Umaru Abdullahi, and Jabbo Adamu—were arrested on October 17, 2023. Preliminary investigations linked these individuals to a recent kidnapping case.
Furthermore, on October 20, 2023, troops, in conjunction with the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, arrested one Bukam Daniel in connection with a theft at Gol village in Bokkos LGA.
On October 20, 2023, the army reported another operation where a notorious kidnapper, Mallam Mamman, on the security agencies’ wanted list, abandoned his Ford Galaxy vehicle with registration number PKN-693XA during a stop and search operation at Bisichi checkpoint in Barkin Ladi LGA. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend this suspect for prosecution.
The military’s relentless efforts in these operations reflect their commitment to curbing criminal activities and ensuring the safety and security of the affected regions. The arrested suspects will face investigations and potential prosecution, sending a strong message against further criminal acts and reinforcing law and order in the affected areas.