Police kill five suspected kidnappers in Bauchi

The Bauchi State Command says its operatives have killed five suspected kidnappers during a shootout in Jama’are town Jama’are Local Government Area of the State.

The Commissioner of Police in the State, Auwal Muhammed, disclosed this through the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, during a press conference held on Thursday at the Command’s Headquarters in Bauchi.

He said that three AK-47 rifles, 100 rounds of live ammunition, among others, were recovered from them.

According to him, this was achieved during the month under review, through the Command’s tirelessly efforts to raise policing standards which has resulted in significant milestones in combating crime and criminality.

“In furtherance to our avowed commitment to stem the tide of crime and criminalities in the state, the command under the courageous leadership of the Commissioner of Police, Auwal Musa Muhammad, has carried out several audacious operations which in turn yielded positive results, leading to a series of crime bursting success within the month, some of which I will like to enumerate as follows:

“A combined team of Operatives in conjunction with a quasi-security outfit encountered suspected kidnappers/bandits in Jamaare. Three AK 47 rifles, one SMG rifle, three empty magazines, 105 rounds of live ammunition and one cutlass were recovered from the gang.

“The shootout took place in the nighttime of 29th August 2023, on the outskirts of Jama’are town. The Police operatives, in line with the mandate of Operation Restore Peace in collaboration with local hunters, were carrying out routine surveillance and raids of suspected criminal hide-outs, when they suddenly came under gunfire attack from a heavily armed criminal gang.

“The Operatives fought back gallantly, repelling the attack and eventually neutralized five of the gang leaders therein, whilst the remaining gang members fled,” he said.

Muhammad further disclosed that on August 30th, 2023 at about 2.21am, information at the Command’s disposal revealed that a group of armed men numbering about 10 invaded the house of one Emeka Asogwa of Itas-Gadau LGA, and kidnapped him to an unknown destination and thereafter, the gunmen demanded and collected the sum of N10 million as ransom.

He said that upon receipt of the report, a team of detectives in collaboration with local security hunters swung into action and rescued the kidnapped victim immediately, adding that efforts are being intensified to arrest the culprits.