Operatives of Kaduna state police command on Wednesday killed four bandits following exchange of gunfire and arrested a suspected female gunrunner, while recovering AK-47 and AK-49 rifles both with ammunitions and an operation vehicle.
Kaduna state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Mohammed Jalige, who made this known to journalists on Thursday, said the incident took place along Saminaka -Jos road on Tuesday.
“Sequel to it’s sustained onslaught against armed banditry and other criminal elements in the state the operatives of the Special Tactical Squad Force Headquarters, Abuja (STS) in conjunction with Operation Yaki Kaduna state command had on 15th June, 2022 at about 0650hrs while on the trail of suspected armed bandits, intercepted their target along Saminaka – Jos expressway in a Sharon vehicle blue in color driven by one James Dawi (m) 31yrs old of Vom town, Jos South LGA Plateau state.
“The suspected bandits on sensing an unavoidable danger posed in their way to deliver some dangerous weapons to their cohorts, they immediately engaged the operatives firing sporadically however, the operatives with tactical precision were able to terminally injure four suspects.
“The injured suspects were evacuated to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital Kaduna where they were pronounced dead by a medical doctor.
“The eencounter lasted for about 30 minutes as the firepower of the Police forced them to retreat into the forest with bullet wounds. When search was conducted in the vehicle and around the vicinity the following exhibits were recovered, one AK49 rifle loaded with six rounds of live ammunitions, one AK47 rifle, one empty magazine, 134 rounds of different calibers of live ammunition and operational motor vehicle.
“The operation led to the arrest of a female accomplice whom during the course of investigation confessed to be supplying arms and ammunition to bandits within Kaduna state.
“Meanwhile discreet investigation into the case has been instituted with a view to unravelling the identities of other criminal gang as well as finding the source of these dangerous weapons in order to avert future occurrences and made the criminals to face the full wrath of the law.
“The Commissioner of Police, Kaduna Command, CP Yekinin A. Ayoku has applauded this clinically executed intelligence-led tactical operation that has occasioned this breakthrough. He has therefore assured the people of Kaduna state that the Command will be unrelenting under direction of the Inspector General of Police, robust support from the state government and active synergy with other security agencies in the fight against the enemies of our collective security.
“He equally called on members of the public to continue to support the Police with useful information about all and sundry criminal activities as Police under his watch would promptly treat such information with dispatch and absolute confidentiality,” Jalige said.
