… As Kano police arrest suspected fuel suppliers to bandits in Katsina state***

The Kaduna State Government said no fewer than 50 bandits have been killed by a combined ground and air assault in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, disclosed this in a statement he issued on Tuesday in Kaduna.

“In an inspiring success for the security forces, over 50 bandits have been neutralised during a combined ground and air assault in the Saulawa-Farin Ruwa axis of Birnin Gwari LGA,’’ he said.

He said operational feedback from the Command of the Joint Operations has it that a Nigerian Air Force helicopter gunship provided close air support to ground troops advancing from the Dogon Dawa-Damari-Saulawa axis.

According to him, following extensive scans, bandits were spotted on five motorcycles, about 4km east of Saulawa, waiting to ambush the ground forces.

“They were engaged vigorously by the helicopter gunship and were wiped out.

“After this, bandits on about 50 motorcycles were sighted fleeing towards Farin Ruwa and were struck effectively by the gunship.

“Fleeing remnants were mopped up by ground forces,” he said

He explained that a second helicopter gunship joined the operations and many more fleeing bandits were neutralised by precise strikes.

“Assessment revealed that more than 50 bandits were neutralised during the joint operation, “Aruwan said.

The commissioner said Gov. Nasir El-Rufai expressed his satisfaction at the operational feedback and congratulated the ground troops and gunship crews on the rout.

He urged them to sustain the momentum and bring even more bandits to their bitter end.

In the meantime, the Police Command in Kano state has arrested two persons for allegedly supplying fuel to bandits in Katsina state, from Kano, the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abdullahi Haruna-Kiyawa, said in a statement on Tuesday, in Kano.

He identified the suspects as Musbahu Rabi’u, 31, and Jamilu Abdullahi, 37, all residents of Jibiya local government area, Katsina State.

Haruna-Kiyawa said that the suspects were arrested with two J5 vehicles loaded with the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) inside 25 litre Jerrycans concealed in empty sugar bags.

“On Oct. 15, 2021, at about 12:30 hours, a team of policemen led by CSP Abubakar Hamma, while on intelligence-led patrol at Fagge, Kano, intercepted two J5 motor vehicles loaded with foodstuffs.

“On a stop and search operation, five Jerri cans of 25 litres each filled with PMS concealed inside an empty sack of sugar were discovered in one of the vehicles,” he said.

He revealed that the suspect confessed that “they came once to Kano from Katsina, bought PMS in Jerrycans and transported it to Jibiya, Katsina state where he sold it at a higher rate”.

The suspect further confessed that “they were arrested while trying to transport the PMS for the second time.”

Haruna-Kiyawa explained that the state Commissioner of Police, Samaila Shuaibu-Dikko, has in the meantime, ordered for discreet investigation into the matter, after which the suspects would be charged to court.

The CP urged residents of the state to be watchful of their immediate environment and report any suspicious movements of people to the nearest Police station.

He also called on filling stations’ operators in the state to desist from selling fuel to unknown buyers in large quantities and inside Jerrycans.

“Report any suspicious buyer of the product to the nearest Police station,” CP urges filling stations.

He added that, in case of emergency, the command could be contacted on 08032419754, 08123821575, 08076091271, or log in to the “NPF Rescue Me” application available on the Play Store”.