The Nigerian police have smashed two gun running and arms dealing ring and a gang of robbers and kidnappers in the Benue-Taraba axis, making 11 arrests.
Among the suspects arrested was one Miracle Emmanuel, a 27 year-old gun dealer from Anambra, based in Takum, Taraba state. With his three-man gang, the police found five Ak-47 rifles, along with other ammunitions in their possesion.
Police said they also recovered in total 10 AK 47 rifles and two Beretta pistols from the 11 suspects paraded at the Benue police headquarters in Makurdi and claimed the arrests were a major breakthrough in stopping the incessant killing of innocent people in the Middle Belt states of Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa.
According to Jimoh Moshood, Ashwe was found in possession of five AK 47 rifles, 238 AK47 bullets, 40 Smoke Grenade Canisters and 79 LAR Rifle bullets. The busted gun dealing gang in Taraba state comprised Takum-based Kabiru Idris, 43, Miracle Emmanuel from Anambra state, said to be a principal suspect and gang leader. Also arrested was Husseini Safiyanu, also from Taraba.
The Police spokesman also said a seven-man robbery and kidnapping gang was arrested in Benue, along with two Beretta pistols. The gang was on its way to kidnap a prominent person in Makurdi, the state capital. Members of the gang were identified as Emmanuel Ushehemba Kwembe, 28, Achir Gabriel, 30, all from Ushongo LGA, Sekad Uver, 28, from Koshisha LGA Benue State and Ordure Fada, 22, from Kwande LGA.
Others arrested were Stephen Jirgba 18, from Vande kya LGA, Peter Lorham, 24, from Kinshisha LGA and Lorhemen Akwambe 35, who hails from Guma LGA.
“The renewed strategies adopted by the Nigeria Police Force to stop the incessant killings of innocent Nigerians and curtail the proliferation of firearms across the country, most especially in the North-Central States have been yielding positive results. The IGP Intelligence Response Team and the Police Special Forces mandated by the IGP to work with Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba State Commands, in the last two weeks arrested the 11 suspects mentioned above within Benue and Taraba States and recovered from them were Ten (10) AK47 Rifles and other assorted firearms and ammunition” the police spokesman said.