The police command in Katsina has arrested a suspected notorious drug dealer and dismantled a four-man armed robbery syndicate operating in Funtua and surrounding communities.

The police also recovered drugs, weapons, stolen items and cash, said the spokesman for the command, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, who disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Katsina.

According to him, the command’s operatives arrested the suspect, Aliyu Umar, 22, popularly known as “Makami”, during a raid at Jabiri area of Funtua Local Government Area on May 28.

Mr Sadiq-Aliyu said the arrest followed credible intelligence on the suspect’s alleged involvement in drug trafficking activities in the area. He said exhibits recovered from the suspect included 38 Exol tablets, 28 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis and a knife.

“The suspect is believed to be a key member of a drug peddling syndicate terrorising the area. Investigation is ongoing,” he said.

Operatives of Makera Police Division had earlier arrested three suspected members of a notorious armed robbery gang linked to phone snatching, motorcycle theft, shop breaking and other criminal activities.

The suspects are Salim Umar, 24, aka ‘Dan Salim’; Yusuf Mustapha, 23, aka ‘Tatto’; and Gaddafi Idris, 27, aka ‘One Love’.

Mr Sadiq-Aliyu said the suspects were apprehended on May 21 following intelligence reports that they had been sighted around the Makera area of Funtua.

“A search conducted on the suspects led to the recovery of two long knives, three machetes, two scissors, an iron pinch bar and two torchlights. Others are six mobile phones, a power bank, a wristwatch, a computer charger, two Opay ATM cards, 44 SIM cards, criminal charms, a key and N36,870 cash.

“During the investigation, one Ibrahim Mustapha reportedly identified the suspects as members of the gang that allegedly broke into his shop along Bishir Idris Road in Funtua and stole valuables and cash. Police investigations also linked the suspects to the robbery of one Salisu Ibrahim, who was dispossessed of his Boxer motorcycle valued at N1.1 million,” Mr Sadiq-Aliyu said.

(NAN)