Police arrest robbery gangs, recover guns in Borno

In what could be best described as harvest of arrests, the Borno State Police Command, has arrested and paraded an armed robbery syndicate, notorious in snatching of handsets, recovered arms and ammunition among others.

The Police also displaced over 242 assorted guns comprising 9 AK-47 rifles, 33 Pump Action and 200 Dane guns recovered from Borno residents following the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum given to those in possession of illegal guns to surrender them to the police.


Briefing newsmen over the arrests and recoveries on Friday at the Borno State police headquarters, the commissioner of police, Mr Damian Chukwu, said even though the Dane guns recovered were not among the prohibited guns, the circumstances in which they were found, pointed that they could be used for criminal purposes.

CP Chukwu said that on 31st January this year, a group of hoodlums, numbering about five, armed with deadly weapons, conspired and invaded a cattle ranch of one Musa Ardo Dawa of Tugga Village in Damboa local government and dispossessed him of six cows and 47 sheep.

“Based on tip-off, four of the five suspects namely, Abdullahi Barka, Sani Adamu, Awalu Ahmad and Adamu Baba Yakiwale, now late, were arrested by SARS operatives in collaboration with members of the vigilante. The stolen herds have since been recovered and in the course of investigation, the suspects admitted committing the crime.

“Similarly, between 3rd and 10th Feb this year, one Isa Musa, Idi Bello, Ahmadu Bello, Idi Hassan, Ahmadu Hassan and Kyari Gana, members of a notorious armed robbery gang terrorising Kawaye, Borno Yesu villages under Magumeri and Gubio local government areas, were arrested at various locations armed with two AK-47 rifles, a Dane gun, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons,” the CP said.

He said the Comnand also, on 4th March this year, based on DSS report, found a cache of arms and ammunition at an abandoned building belonging to one Goni Modu at Bulabulin Ngaranam area in Maiduguri metropolis.

He added that the subject, being the former occupant, fled the area during boko haram terrorists’ invasion of the community and occupation of the building, until recently that the weapons were discovered when Goni Modu, the owner of the house, returned and began renovation of the property.

Chukwu said the recovered items, which are presently in custody of the headquarters 195 battalion of Nigeran Army in Maiduguri include, two bags of ammunition, two rocket propelled grenades and four AK-47 rifles.

“Against the above background, members of the public, especially returnee Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs) to previously dominated boko haram communities, are hereby advised to lookout for such weaponry and IEDs,” he warned.

Other suspects paraded include one Hassan Kwari of Maiduguri metropolis, a student of Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri, who attacked and injured one Paul Moses, his room mate at the polytechnic, and one Ali Mohammed of Damboa road in Maiduguri, arrested by SARS operatives after kidnapping one 14-year-old Mohammed Ibrahim, Imam of old GRA, Maiduguri among others.