The police in Gombe have apprehended seven suspects for alleged kidnapping and cattle rustling in the state.

This is contained in a statement by the spokesman for the command, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, on Friday in Gombe.

Mr Abdullahi said operatives of the command on November 23 detained a 40-year-old suspect (name withheld), who is a member of an interstate kidnapping syndicate.

He said the operatives acted on intelligence indicating that the suspects were harbouring criminals, engaged in kidnapping and cattle rustling.

Mr Abdullahi said preliminary investigation showed that the suspects have accomplices in Gombe, Bauchi, Yobe and Adamawa.

“Acting on intelligence, police operatives attached to Operation Hattara in collaboration with the Gombe State Professional Hunters Association, stormed identified criminal hideouts.

“Engaging the suspects in a gun duel and successfully arresting six additional members of the gang,” he said.

Mr Abdullahi said the operatives neutralised two suspected members of the gang, while one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) and eight rounds of live ammunition were recovered.

He said the corpses of the neutralised kidnappers had been deposited at the mortuary, Specialist Hospital Gombe

The spokesman said preliminary investigation also showed that the suspects participated in several kidnappings and collected about N160 million ransom.

According to Mr Abdullahi, the suspects will be charged to court on completion of investigation.

While urging the residents to cooperate with the police, Mr Abdullahi reiterated the command’s commitment to protect lives and property.

(NAN)