Ten suspects were arrested by the Zamfara State police Command in banditry-related cases. They also repelled attacks at Zamfara State's Shinkafi Local Government Area and Zurmi.

SP Mohammed Shehu (spokesman for the state police) addressed newsmen at the command’s headquarters on Friday, December 9, 2022. He stated that operatives had recovered two AK47 rifles and 104 rounds of live ammunition as well as large quantities of dried leaf believed to be Indian hemp.

According to the PPRO, the suspect bandits' informants as well as their collaborators were detained at different locations throughout the state.

"On 5th December 2022, Police Tactical operatives while on a confidence-building patrol along Zurmi and Shinkafi LGAs received a distress call about bandits' plan to attack some villages of the two LGAs," he stated.

"The Police operatives mobilized to the locations and engaged the bandits in a serious gun battle that lasted for hours. Luckily enough, the bandits were repelled by the superior firepower of the Police operatives, forcing them to retreat back to the forest with possible gunshot wounds. Two AK 47 Rifles and 104 rounds of live ammunition belonging to the bandits were recovered at the scene,"

Continuing, Shehu explained that the operatives arrested another two suspected bandit collaborators that specialized in supplying hard drugs and Indian hemp.

He gave the names of the suspects as Murtala Dahiru 'M' 25 years old from Galadi village in Shinkafi LGA and Sani Mohammed 'M', 39 years old from Talata Mafara LGA, saying a large quantity of leaf suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered from them.

"On 7th December 2022 at about 1200 hours, Police Tactical operatives, while on confidence acted on intelligence information that led to the arrest of the above-mentioned suspects. The suspects were arrested while transporting a large quantity of dried leaf suspected to be Indian hemp all the way from Lagos to Shinkafi in Zamfara state. In the course of investigation, the suspects confessed to several supply of hard drugs and other substances to the bandits operating at Shinkafi and Zurmi axis. Discreet investigation is ongoing,"

He further stated that another four suspected bandit collaborators were arrested in possession of a large quantity of dried leaf suspected to be Indian hemp.

The suspects are; Lawali Salisu 'M' 35 years old, Bello Mohammed 'M' 34 years old, Saying Mohammed 'M' 28 years old, and Aliyu Yahaya 'M' 27 years old.

"On 8th December 2022 at about 1330 hours, Police Tactical operatives while on stop and search acted on credible information that led to the arrest of the above-mentioned suspects. The Four (4) suspects were arrested in an 18 seater Toyota vehicle conveying a large quantity of dried leaf suspected to be Indian hemp from Lagos and to be delivered to Kaura Namoda in Zamfara state. In the course of interrogation, the suspects confessed that the consignment was meant for bandits operating in a forest under Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara state,"

According to the PPRO, two suspected bandit informants who collaborate with bandits to impose levies on villagers and deliver them to the bandits were arrested.

Also arrested was one other suspect who divulges information on the operational activities of security agencies and vigilantes.

The suspects are; Abubakar Idaho 'M' 75 years old of Kwarya Tsugunne village in Maru LGA, Almustapha Dahiru 'M' 69 years old from Yanbuki village in Zurmi LGA, and Mohammed Sani Jibrin 'M' of Kekun Waje village in Bungudu LGA.

"The 1st and 2nd suspects mentioned above were arrested by the Police Tactical operatives in connection with partnering with bandits to impose levies on Kwarya Tsugunne and Yanbuki villages in Maru and Zurmi LGAs respectively. The suspects during interrogation confessed to the Police that, on several occasions, they imposed levies on villagers that run into millions and delivered the same to bandits while getting their percentage. They further confessed that recently they imposed and collected a levy of one million, two hundred thousand naira from Kwarya Tsugunne village,"

"The 3rd suspect was arrested as being an informant to bandits by divulging information about the operational activities of security agencies and vigilantes at Kekun Waje village in Bungudu LGA. The suspect while undergoing interrogation confessed to the alleged criminality.

"Discreet investigation is in progress, all the suspects will be charged to court for prosecution on completion of the investigation." the spokesperson added.