The Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, Ibrahim Sani Kaoje, yesterday narrated how suspected cattle rustlers attempted to bribe policemen with N700,000 to escape arrest.
Kaoje gave the narrative while parading 19 suspects over cattle rustling, armed robbery, rape and for belonging to a gang of kidnappers.
He said nine persons of Sokoto metropolis reported a case of rustling at Kwanni Police Station against six persons: Abubakar Mamuda, Aliyu Shehu, Yunusa Tukur, Alisa’u Abdullahi, Wadata Shehu and Aminu Muktar aka Matse.
The CP said that the six persons allegedly criminally conspired with Abdulrasheed Shanau, Taju Mohammed, Tukur Abubakar, and Kabiru aka Bauri (now at large), armed themselves with cutlass, sword and sticks and invaded the houses of the complainants respectively, attacked and robbed them of their cows, sheep and goats and loaded them in a vehicle with Reg. No; AA 344 BLE Sokoto.
“On interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime and admitted that they stole the animals from Bodinga LGA, Sokoto and Dange/Shunnu LGA, respectively from the houses of the owners.
“The suspects also offered bribe sum of N700, 000 to the police patrol team to allow them to escape but the police refused and got them arrested,” he added.
According to him, 24 sheep, 11 cows, eight goats and three motorcycles were recovered in their possession.
In a related development, the CP said on February 11, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the command intercepted a vehicle at Kwanawa Area for routine check and that immediately the occupants disembarked from the vehicle, they took to their heels.
“Upon search of the vehicle, four AK 47 rifles were discovered to be concealed inside the vehicle with Reg.No; YAB 928 GB,” he disclosed, adding that effort was on to arrest the fleeing suspects.
He also said following a tip-off, operatives of IGP STS Sokoto Sector stormed the hideout of one Samaila Alhaji Mamman, allegedly involved in cattle rustling and acting as an informant to bandits in the region.
In the course of investigation, a total of 41 cattle were recovered at Goronyo axis of Sokoto, he said, adding that owners of the animals were being identified with the help of information supplied by the suspect.
The CP also said a suspected kidnapper was arrested along Chinabarka village Sabon Birni LGA Sokoto State in possession of over N1.1millon, which he allegedly confessed was given to him by a notorious kidnapper popularly known as Yellow to hand over to somebody still at large to purchase motorcycles.
He added that one Ahmad Usman of Arkilla Federal Low-cost area Sokoto was arrested for allegedly luring a 12-year-old girl into an uncompleted building and forcefully having unlawful carnal knowledge of her.
