The Sokoto State Police Command on Monday announced the arrest of 13 suspected kidnappers and recovered 4, 000 live ammunition from them.
It also said that two people, identified as Aliyu Abdullahi and Alhaji Adduwa, suspected to be arms suppliers, were shot dead by police operatives.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Cordelia Nwawe, told newsmen in Sokoto that Abdullahi was killed in gun battle at Gawon Fulani village, Rabah Local Government, in his bid to escape arrest.
She added that Adduwa, the ward head of Gidan Bunu in Raba LGA also engaged the police in a shootout at his house before he was gunned down.
Nwawe explained that Adduwa was the gang’s armourer before his death.
The command spokesperson, also said among those arrested was one Lawalli Aliyu, a resident of More village, Kware Local Government, Sokoto State, whom she described as a gunrunner, cattle rustler and kidnapper.
She added that Aliyu had confessed to have smuggled weapons for bandits operating in Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto states.
According to her, the suspect who confessed to participating in several kidnappings in Nigeria, said he had been in the business for long and mentioned some of his accomplices in Niger Republic, including one Danrani, who is still at large.
Others arrested included an old woman, Ramatu Muhammad, who distributed guns to members of the gang on the instruction of late Adduwa, and the gang’s transporter, Madugu Haruna.
Nwawe said all the 13 suspects, mostly arrested in Raba and Illela local government areas of the state, would soon be prosecuted.
She said apart from the guns and ammunition, the police also recovered 251 sheep, 69 cows, blankets and other valuables from the suspects.
