Yobe Police Command Nabbed 40 Bandits In Two Months, Recovered Over 120 Stolen Livestock

BEVERLY HILLS, September 22, (THEWILL) - About 40 bandits and other criminals were arrested by the Yobe State Police Command between August and September this year.

Disclosing this on Monday at a media briefing in Damaturu, the state capital, the state Commissioner of Police, Danladi Markus, added that about 118 cows and 38 sheep stolen by bandits were also recovered.

Last month, Boko Haram bandits were said to have stolen over 500 cows belonging to village heads of Gutumba and Marma in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

Markus said three of the gangs were killed by the police during exchange of fire, stressing that some of the arrested suspects are notorious criminals that have been on the wanted list of security agents.

'On the 10th August, 2014 at about 2100hrs, a team of Policemen attached to Garin Alkali Division engaged a gang of armed robbers numbering about eight (8) with dasngerous weapons along Gashua/Baimari road while robbing some travellers.

'During the exchange of gun fire, one Ibrahim Grema, a known notorious armed robber who has been on the wanted list of the police, was gunned down. Other suspects fled with bullet wounds. Detectives are on the trail of the fleeing suspects,' Markus said.

According to the Police Commissioner, some of the arrested 40 suspects are currently cooperating with the police by giving useful information which has led to the arrest of other members either in hideouts or various raids conducted in different parts of the state.

He therefore called on residents of the state to offer the police useful information to enable them fight criminals, stressing that, 'such information will be treated in confidence.'