Police kill ‘bandit’, arrest 15 suspects in Sokoto

The Sokoto police command says its operatives have killed a suspected “notorious bandit” terrorising residents of the state.

Ali Kaigama, commissioner of police in the state, on Tuesday said the suspect, Dauda Ahmad, who was involved in a series of kidnappings, was killed during a gun duel with security operatives.

Kaigama added Ahmad was taken to a hospital where he was confirmed dead.

He said some suspected bandits on July 10  attacked Yarabba and Salah villages and abducted four residents, while one person sustained injuries.

He said the police tactical team was mobilised to the location and recovered one AK49 rifle, two magazines loaded with 15 live ammunition, and a locally fabricated pistol with 12 rounds of live ammunition.

The police commissioner added that a motorcycle and nine cell phones suspected to belong to the abductees were also recovered.

He said some of the suspects arrested were intercepted along Birnin Kebbi road with a Sharon vehicle filled with 12 rolls of conductor aluminium wires suspected to have been stolen from electric poles.

He said the operatives also apprehended some suspected motorcycle snatchers and recovered a Volkswagen Golf among other items from them.

He urged residents to continue to support the police with relevant information to tackle insecurity, adding that the command is committed to eliminating criminal elements from the state.