Kano Police Arrest Suspected Kidnapper, Recover Drone

The Kano State Police Command says it has arrested a suspected notorious kidnapper and cattle rustler and recovered a cine-camera drone during clearance operations along the Kano-Kaduna and Kano-Katsina borders.

The command made this known in a statement issued by its Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, on Monday in Kano.

According to the statement, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, acting on credible intelligence, arrested one Habibu Bello, 35, of Kunkumi Town, Makarfi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Sept. 14.

It said Bello was allegedly a member of a syndicate involved in kidnapping, armed robbery and cattle rustling across Kano, Katsina and Kaduna states.

The command said further investigation led to the arrest of another suspect, identified as Mudam, from Kwanar Dangora, who was also alleged to be a member of the syndicate.

It added that the principal suspect confessed to involvement in several kidnapping incidents, including the abduction of Hajiya Binta of Kwanar Dangora, for which a ransom of N20 million was allegedly paid.

The suspect also allegedly confessed to kidnapping and collecting ransom from a household in Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano, as well as involvement in cattle rustling activities across the three states.

The command said investigation was ongoing, while efforts were being intensified to arrest other members of the syndicate and recover their operational weapons.

In a separate operation on Sept. 17, police operatives recovered a cine-camera drone marked GT 50 at Hawan Tarau Village in Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State.

The statement said the drone was found lying on the ground and that efforts were ongoing to trace its source and owner.

The Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended the operatives for their efforts and assured residents that the command would sustain clearance operations in collaboration with neighbouring police commands.

Bakori also appealed to residents to continue supporting the police by reporting suspicious movements to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency numbers.