TheCable

The Katsina police command says its operatives have arrested 36 suspects involved in cases of rape and sodomy in the state.

In a statement on Tuesday, Abubakar Aliyu, police spokesperson in the state, said the command apprehended the suspects within April.

Aliyu said the operatives also apprehended 22 suspected armed robbers and 10 murder suspects during the period.

He said the command received 81 cases of major crimes such as kidnappings, culpable homicide, and cattle rustling, among others.

“Within the period under review, sixty-nine (69) cases were charged to court as a total number of one hundred and forty-five (145) suspects were arrested in connection with these suspected cases,” the statement reads.

“A total number of fifty-eight (58) suspects were arrested for various offences such as criminal force, intimidation, inciting disturbance, theft, and belonging to gang of brigands, among others.

“Also, the command has succeeded in neutralising twelve (12) suspected bandits, rescuing over thirty (30) kidnapped victims, and recovered four hundred and ninety-two (492) rustled animals.”

The police spokesperson said the operatives repelled an attack by bandits on two commercial vehicles along the Funtua-Gusau road at Unguwar Boka village in Faskari LGA.

He said the bandits attacked a bus conveying passengers from Onitsha to Gusau, Zamfara’s capital and a Volkswagen Golf travelling to Zaria.

“The bandits having barricaded the road, emerged from the bush and opened fire on the two (2) motor vehicles, forcing the driver to veer off the road into the nearby bushes,” he said.

“Upon receipt of the report, promptly, the DPO mobilised operatives and responded to the scene, where they engaged the assailants in a fierce gun duel, successfully thwarted the kidnapping attempt, and rescued all the passengers unhurt.”

He further said the operatives rescued 52 passengers.

“Efforts have been intensified to ensure the arrest of the fleeing suspects. The investigation is still ongoing,” he added.