At least four suspects have been arrested in connection with banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping and armed robbery by the police in Katsina State.
The suspects, according to police authorities in the state, belonged to a notorious syndicate terrorising Kankara Local Government Area of the state and its environs.
In a press briefing held on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Gambo Isah said the suspects were arrested based on credible intelligence on May 10th.
Isah said in the process of smashing the suspects, the police recovered of 170 cows and 38 sheep in their possession.
“Nemesis caught up with one Isiya Halliru, Nasiru Bature, Bello Hamza, all of Fanteka village in Musawa Local Government Area of the state as well as one Hassan Iliyasu of Masaurari village in Kankara Local Government Area,” he said.
“We got an intelligence that these bandits were coming from a place where they commit their nefarious activities and fortunately, we succeeded in laying an ambush for them and after a fierce encounter with the hoodlums we were able to arrest these four suspects and we recovered 170 cows, 38 sheep from them as investigation is ongoing to arrest remaining gang leaders of the syndicate.”
Police operatives also apprehended a 41-year-old man, Muhammadu Aliyu popularly known as DanMaiwaina of Abbatuwa quarters in Katsina Metropolitan Area.
The suspect, said to be a notorious serial rapist, specializes in raping minors and was caught while having an unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor (name withheld).
According to the police spokesman, the suspect confessed to have committed the crime and other related offences, adding that investigation is ongoing into the matter.
The suspect said, “I have abused the boy for the fourth time after I was offered with a charm by a ritualist during his lifetime that I should be doing this action.
“And according to what the ritualist told me then, if I go to anyone that is holding a big position and advise him on what I considered as a crime, he/she will surely listen to me and act on it.”
The suspect who was paraded alongside two of his victims, had so far trained a minor that also abused another three-year-old boy for three times.