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Police Bust Kidnapping, Human Trafficking Rings in Taraba, Oyo, Arrest Suspects
The Nigeria Police Force has recorded major successes in the fight against violent crime with the dismantling of kidnapping and human trafficking syndicates across Taraba and Oyo states.
However, the force was equally thrown into mourning following the death of an inspector during a violent altercation in Lagos.
In Taraba State, operatives of the State Command, in collaboration with the Force Intelligence Department (FID) at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, arrested three suspected members of a notorious kidnap syndicate terrorizing communities across six states.
The suspects—Shehu Ibrahim, 27, of Larai Gada, Ilorin; Abdullahi Haruna, 28, of Angwan Karofi, Bauchi; and Yusuf Bello, 40, of Birama Village, Donga LGA, Taraba—were apprehended at about 10:00 a.m. on April 25 following credible intelligence.
Police authorities said the suspects confessed to their involvement in a series of abductions across Taraba, Adamawa, Gombe, Plateau, Bauchi, and Kaduna states.
According to Zagazola, items recovered from the suspects were one AK-47 rifle, two AK-49 rifles, six magazines, and 45 live rounds of ammunition. The arrests came after earlier operations that led to the apprehension of six other gang members and the recovery of additional firearms.
Investigations are ongoing to apprehend more members of the syndicate and fully dismantle their network, police said.
In a separate operation, the Oyo State Police Command rescued 68 victims of human trafficking and arrested 16 suspects during a raid in Kajorepo community, Agabala Daniel Area, on April 26.
Acting on intelligence gathered by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, officers raided a compound where 47 males, 20 females, and one child were found locked up, awaiting illegal transportation.
Sixteen suspects, comprising 10 males and six females, were arrested during the operation. Authorities said the victims received immediate medical care, while the building was sealed off to prevent retaliation from angry residents.
Investigations are ongoing to uncover the wider network behind the trafficking operation.
Meanwhile, tragedy struck at Queen Barracks, Apapa, Lagos, on Friday, when Inspector Ibrahim Usman died following an altercation involving a fellow police officer’s family.
The incident, which occurred around 11:10 a.m., reportedly began with a dispute between W/Inspector Gambo Yusuf and Usman’s wife. The disagreement escalated, leading to an alleged physical assault by Yusuf and her children on the inspector, rendering him unconscious.
He was rushed to General Hospital, Apapa, but was confirmed dead shortly after arrival.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police has ordered a full investigation into the incident. Yusuf and her children are currently in custody pending the outcome of the probe.
The series of incidents highlights both the growing successes and ongoing challenges facing the Nigeria Police Force as it combats criminality across the country while addressing internal disciplinary issues.
