Police operatives in Zamfara said it had killed a bandit and arrested six suspects for banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling.

This is contained in a statement issued on Thursday.

The police command in Zamfara also said police operatives repelled bandits’ attack and seized two AK-47 rifles, 104 rounds of live ammunition, two magazines, and a bunch of charms.

“On January 1, police tactical operatives, while on a confidence-building patrol along Gusau-Magami-Dansadau road, received a distress call about plans by bandits to block the road and attack commuters and, by extension, some villages,” said the statement.

The command added, “The police operatives mobilised to the locations and engaged the bandits in a gun battle. One of the bandits was neutralised, and the attack was repelled due to the superior firepower of the police operatives, and they retreated to the forest with possible gunshot wounds.”

According to the police, the suspects confessed to kidnapping and cattle rustling in Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Niger and belong to the gang of popular bandit kingpin Bello Turji.

“On January 1 at about 1330 hours, police tactical operatives, while on confidence building patrol/stop and search, arrested a gang member of bandit’s kingpin popularly known as Halilu Kachall,” the statement added. “On January 2, at about 1215 hours, police tactical operatives deployed along Gusau-Tsafe road on rigorous patrol arrested other suspected bandits. In the course of investigation, the suspect confessed that they belong to a gang of bandits operating in Mada, Wonaka, Yandoto and Tsafe under their gang commander, Malam Tukur.”

The police command added that on Tuesday, police operatives arrested an informant who gave information to bandits operating in Kaura Namoda, Birnin Magaji, Zurmi and Shinkafi councils.

(NAN)