From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The criminal suspects and the NSCDC Commandant, Suleiman Ibrahim Marafa addressing the press yesterday on the activities of the suspects
The Kogi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has paraded alleged sixteen criminals terrorising the state for their involvement in illegal gold mining, vandalisation of AEDC equipment, motorcycles snatching and diversion of petroleum products.
Parading the suspects at the command headquarters in Lokoja, yesterday, the commandant, Suleiman Ibrahim Marafa said, nine of the suspects were picked up at Apata in Obajana community for illegal mining of gold.
He said , two others were also apprehended for vandalising Electric Transformers belonging to Abuja Electric Distribution Company AEDC while Abdullahi Dauda who specialises in using hammer to disposseses his victims of their motorcycles.
He said the command, armed with credible intelligence, stormed their various hideouts and got them arrested, adding that a pick up van with nineteen Jerry cans laden with substances believed to be petroleum products.
He assured the public that the command is working assiduously to ensure that criminals in whatever guise are apprehended to face the wrath of the law.
While disclosing the new wave of criminals infiltrating the state from faraway states in the Northern parts of the country, lamented that if the trend is not checked, it would soon become endemic security challenges.
He, however, encourages citizens to be security conscious in reporting strange activities in their domains to the law enforcement agencies.
Speaking to our Correspondent, one Abdullahi Dauda, 25, who was arrested for motorcycles snatching, said , he uses hammer to hit his victims, while posing as passenger to disposseses them of their motorbikes.
He added that one Shehu Usman , 45, also in command net lured him into the okada snatching business was his receiver of the stolen motorbikes.
Items recovered from the suspects include a pick up van with registration number KRV571ZV with 50 numbers of 25 liters Jerrycans , Bags of illegally mined gold, Torchlight, 4 spamas, Charms, motorcycle, Hammer, lighter and daylong remote control, and Tricycle.
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