The airstrikes, which a top army general attributed to operational error, marked the first public knowledge about the army’s use of unmanned bombers outside the Nigerian Air Force.
He said the NAF component of Operation Whirl Punch carried out the air interdiction mission.
The police spokesperson said the suspect was arrested by operatives of the Kaduna State Vigilance Service.
He said the victims were kidnapped in the Tsando General area of Maraban Jos in Igabi Local Government Area of the state.
The police claim that the IMN members, who firing weapons and threw stones at the convoy, were “professionally contained the miscreants without the use of force.”
Items recovered were locally-made rifles, AK-47 magazine and rifle top cover, radio chargers, 11 mobile phones, three music boxes and others.
Mr Jalige said the attack, which occurred on July 23, at about 11:00 p.m., involved a large number of bandits who came in three Sharon utility vehicles.
According to the spokesperson, the incident nearly escalated into ethno-religious tensions in the area.
This came barely a week after bandits killed six person at Igabi and Kaura Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.
