Soldiers arrest kidnap suspect in Taraba

Troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, Sector 3, Operation Whirl Stroke, on Sunday, arrested a notorious kidnapper, Suleiman Ahmad, who allegedly extorted over ₦70 million in ransom from his victims in Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The arrest followed a coordinated sting operation conducted on November 12, 2024, across Maraban Abare, Bomanda, and Karamuke villages, aimed at curbing rampant kidnapping activities in the area.

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Capt. Oni Olubodunde, in a statement on Sunday, said during preliminary investigations, Ahmad, a resident of Bomanda village, confessed to abducting approximately 20 individuals in Lau Local Government, adding that he owned an AK-47 rifle used in his operations.

In a subsequent operation on November 15, troops recovered the AK-47 rifle from a concealed location and arrested one of Ahmad’s accomplices.

The accomplice, identified as Hussaini, a suspected gunrunner, was apprehended at his residence in the Mayo Dassa area of the local government.

The statement added, “I want to reaffirm the Army’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks and ensuring the safety of law-abiding residents.

“We will continue to deploy all necessary resources to protect citizens from the scourge of kidnapping and violent crimes.”