The Police Command in Niger says it has arrested 12 persons for kidnapping, gunrunning, robbery, and persons supplying fuel to bandits in parts of the state.

Commissioner of police in the state, Monday Kuryas, announced the arrest during a public presentation of the suspects to the press on Saturday in Minna.

Mr Kuryas said on October 2, the police highway patrol on Makera-Mokwa road arrested Mohammed Bello and Nura Umar in a vehicle.

A search of their vehicle led to the confiscation of two AK- 47 rifles, two AK- 49 rifles, 16 magazines, 417 live ammunition of 7.62 calibres and 150 RPG live ammunition.

According to the police, the two men said the arms were being taken from Sokoto to someone known as Yellow in Mokwa, Niger state.

On October 21, the police operatives attached to Swashi police outpost of New-Bussa Division arrested Habib Sani of Kanti village in Mashegu local government area.

Mr Sani was arrested with 14 locally fabricated guns, comprising six double-barrelled guns and eight triple-barrelled guns concealed in a sack bag while on transit.

He was said to have confessed that the guns were given to him by a local fabricator named Bilya to deliver to a Bulus at the rate of N1,000-commission on each of the guns.

Following the kidnap of a male victim on October 21, the police on October 27 arrested Abubakar Muhammadu and Abubakar Umar.

On October 29, the police arrested three suspects in connection with a robbery case.

Mohammed Muazu and Salihu Isah were on October 2 arrested at Tudun-Fulani on suspicion for being suspected motorcycle snatchers.

Then on October 3, the police arrested a fuel black market dealer, Umar Mohammad, and a fuel attendant, Adamu Atiku, for buying fuel inside a jerrycan in Minna.

The police said all suspects would be arraigned as soon as investigations were concluded.

(NAN)