Killers of a Gov Aspirant in Zamfara, 21 Others in Police net

The Police Command in Zamfara State has disclosed the arrest of two suspected killers of a governorship aspirant in Zamfara State, Sagir Hamidu, owner of Famak British Schools.

Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement in Abuja, indicated that the suspects – 22-year-old Sani Usman and 23-year-old Mohammed Tijjani – both from Pai Konkore, Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory, were arrested in relation to a case of kidnapping and armed robbery along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.

The FPRO revealed that the two suspects and 21 other criminals were arrested by the Force Intelligence Bureau Intelligence Response Team (FIB-IRT) for culpable homicide, armed robbery, kidnapping, arms trafficking, possession of prohibited firearms, and rape, among others.

According to the FPRO “Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects (Usman and Tijjani) were part of the bandit syndicate which carried out the attack on travellers at Rijana, along the Kaduna – Abuja expressway on Sunday, November 21, 2021, in which they gruesomely murdered an ex-Zamfara State gubernatorial aspirant and owner of Famak British Schools, Alhaji Sagir Hamidu, and kidnapped a nursing mother leaving her baby behind in a nearby bush.”

Adejobi also disclosed that the police arrested two other suspects, who he identified as Badong Audu, 48-years-old, of Namu village in Plateau State, and Chimezie Okolie, 44-year-old of Ekwusigo in Anambra State. Their arrested, he said, was facilitated by credible intelligence of an impending arms movement from Jos, through Nasarawa State, to the eastern part of the country.

FPRO Adejobi highlighted: “The FIB-IRT operatives swung into action and apprehended Badong Audu on 26th April 2022 at Namu Village with two AK47 rifles and 51 rounds of live ammunition concealed in a bag of beans.

“Investigations led to the arrest of the receiver, Chimezie Okolie, at Nasarawa State, where he was waiting to take delivery of the arms and ammunition.

“The gallant operatives of the FIB-IRT, acting on a tip-off that a DAF Truck carrying 45,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), had been hijacked at Saminaka Village, Niger State at gunpoint and the occupants abducted, equally mobilised and intercepted the hoodlums at Lambata Area of Niger State, where the truck was recovered, and four suspects were arrested.

“The operatives, with the aid of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers’ Association, Suleja Depot, were able to recover the PMS which had been discharged by the suspects.”

Adejobi revealed that the FIB-IRT recovered 52 firearms including a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launcher, a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 36 AK47 rifles, two English shotguns, five locally-made shotguns, five locally-made automatic pistols, four pump-action shotguns, 2,045 rounds of live ammunition of different calibres, one DAF Truck loaded with 45,000 litres of petrol, and two vehicles, among others during follow-up investigations.

The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, had commended the FIB-IRT operatives for the successful arrest of the criminals.

The IG assured Nigerians that the police would dutifully follow up on established cases by conclusively investigating them in a bid to bring all persons found wanting to justice.

Adejobi declared that “all the suspects will be arraigned in court on completion of investigations.”