The Police in Zamfara has arrested a bandits commander, Bello Rugga and neutralised five others during a raid in Gummi local government area of the state.

Commissioner of police in the state, Ayuba Elkanah, disclosed this while parading the kingpin alongside 21 other bandits and their collaborators on Saturday in Gusau.

“On Oct. 1, 2021, Police Tactical Operatives on Anti-Banditry Operation around Gummi axis, acted on intelligence reports, stormed Gidan Bita, Malakar and Kagara forest, and arrested one notorious bandit’s commander, Bello Rugga.

“The suspect who happens to be a commander to a wanted bandits gang leader, popularly known as Turji. Rugga was in charge of Gummi, Gidan Bita, Malanjara and Kagara forest in Gummi LGA of the state.

“He has coordinated series of attacks in the area that led to the unwarranted killings of innocent people and kidnapping of many others for ransom,” he said.

Mr Elkannah said the suspect, who is undergoing investigation, had many bandits under his command at the time of his arrest, adding that AK47 rifles and ammunition were recovered from him.

He paraded two other bandits collaborators arrested while conveying large consignments of drugs, bags of cannabis and petrol to the bandits’ camps.

The police commissioner said the suspects also named some other collaborators and point of delivery, saying that security operatives were trailing the suspects.

He said those neutralised were among the masterminds of many attacks in different parts of the state especially Zamfara West Senatorial District.

The Commissioner announced that the state had banned vehicles with tinted glasses, tricycles, cabins and riding of motorcycles by more than one person.

Elkannah said that the dusk-to-dawn curfew in 13 LGAs was still in force, adding that the curfew in Gusau, the state capital, had been reviewed from 12 midnight to 6:00 am.

Meanwhile, telecom services earlier shut down to aid the military’s onslaught against bandits ravaging the state have been restored in the state capital.

(NAN)