A total number of eighty-one (81) cases of major crimes were reported at various divisions of the Katsina state police command from 1 to 30, April, 2024.
The cases included armed robbery, kidnapping, culpable homicides, cattle rustling among others.
The Command spokesman, ASP Abubakar Aliyu made the disclosure at a press conference in katsina on Tuesday.
He said sixty-nine (69) of such cases were charged to court, adding that one hundred and forty-five (145) suspects were arrested in connection with the suspected cases.
The Command spokesman gave further breakdown of the cases thus : “A total number of twenty-two (22) suspected Armed Robbers; Ten (10) murder suspects; Thirty-six (36) suspected rapists/sodomist and 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.”
ASP Aliyu also revealed that the command succeeded in killing twelve (12) suspected bandits, rescuing over thirty (30) kidnapped victims, and recovered four hundred and ninety-two (492) rustled animals during the period under review.
The spokesman also gave the lowdown on how operatives of the command foiled a bandits attack on two commercial vehicles and rescued 52 passengers on Sunday night.
He explained “On 5, May, 2024, at about 11.30 p.m, the command successfully foiled a bandit attack on two (2) commercial motor-vehicles at Unguwar Boka village along Funtua-Gusau Road and rescued fifty-two (52) passengers.
“Two (2) motor-vehicles a luxurious bus conveying passengers from Onitsha en route to Gusau, Zamfara State, and a Volkswagen Golf 3 en route to Zaria from Gusau, upon reaching a point at Unguwar Boka village, 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.
“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. Efforts have been intensified to ensure the arrest of the fleeing suspects. The investigation is still ongoing.”