Police Kill Notorious Kidnapping Kingpin, Armed Robber Responsible For.................

A suspected kidnapping kingpin and notorious armed robber who is alleged to have masterminded the kidnap of the UBEC chairman along Abuja- Kaduna road, has been killed by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The development was made public by the public relation’s officer of the force, Frank Mba, Leadership reports.

Legit.ng gathers that Mba said: “The suspect, one Sumaila Sule, alias Shaho, male (estimated be in his mid thirties), a native of Rijana village in Kachia LGA of Kaduna state is one of the most vicious and most wanted kidnappers that has been terrorizing citizens in Kaduna and its environs.

“He died in the early hours of 18th May, 2019 following multiple bullet wounds he sustained during a deadly shootout with police operatives attached to operation Puff Adder.

“The shootout took place in the evening of 17th May 2019, at the outskirts of Rijana village. The police operatives, in line with the mandate of operation Puff Adder, were carrying out routine surveillance and raid of suspected criminal hide-outs, when they suddenly came under gun fire attack from a heavily armed criminal gang.

“The police team fought back gallantly, repelling the attack and eventually bringing Shaho down, whilst his gang members fled. Shaho was rushed to hospital, where he eventually died the next day.”

Mba further disclosed that sweeping follow-up operations were carried out at different target locations by police operatives between May 18 and 19, based on information gotten from the suspect before his demise.

He said the coordinated operations led to the arrest of four other members of Shaho’s gang - Musa Hassan, 26 years; Yau Umar, 25 years; Umar Musa, 22 years; and Muhammad Sani, 28 years - and the recovery of three AK 47 rifles.

The arrested gang members are all natives of Rijiana village, Kachia LGA, Kaduna state.

According to the PRO, Shaho and his gang members have been implicated in several high level kidnappings and other heinous crimes along Kaduna-Abuja road and beyond; and had been on the intelligence community’s radar for a while.

Recall that Legit.ng previously reported that the police force headquarters in Abuja announced the arrest of one of the suspects responsible for the kidnapping of the chairman of UBEC, Dr Mohammed Mahmoud Abubakar, and his daughter, Yesmin Mohammed.

The father and daughter who were kidnapped on Monday, April 29, along the Abuja-Kaduna highway have since been released and are undergoing medical investigations in an undisclosed hospital.

The force PRO, Frank Mba, said one suspect had been arrested in connection with the kidnapping, while investigations were ongoing to apprehend other members of the gang.