The Nigeria Police Special Tactical Squad (STS) has arrested two suspected car snatchers, Bashir Isiaku and Aminu Yakubu, for allegedly stealing cars from the car park of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).
Bashir, a graduate of one of the Federal Polytechnics in the country, was said to have been arrested after painstaking efforts and investigations by operatives of the STS.
In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, Bashir and Aminu specialized in the use of customized master key crafted out of screwdriver to steal cars. He said investigations showed that the duo usually steal cars without special security features.
According to Mba, a total of twenty-one (21) vehicles have so far been recovered from the suspects and their accomplices who received them.
The statement said, ”The following criminal receivers have also been arrested: in Funtua – Rilwanu Garba, Ibrahim Hassan, Kabiru Aliyu, Sikiru Danjuma, Bashir Abba; in Sokoto – Dodo Danbello, Mudeen Adelera, Nasiru Bello, Hassan Bawa; in Kucheri – Magazine Garba; in Tsafe – Yushehu Abdullahi; in Gusau – Abdurazaq Adekoya; and in Marafa – Kabiru Aliyu.
”The recovered vehicles comprise 2 Opel Vectra, 1 Toyota Camry, 1 Honda CRV, 2 Toyota Carinae, 7 Golf-3, 1 Toyota Corolla, 6 Honda Civic and 1 Toyota Avensis. The suspects claimed that they found it easy to steal in JUTH due to the lax security at JUTH premises. Police investigations reveal that their choice cars are Toyota products, Honda products, and Volkswagen especially the Golf brand because these brand of cars are in high demand by criminal receivers, either in whole or in parts across the country and other neighboring countries.”
The police spokesman therefore urged members of the public whose cars were stolen between January 2019 and March 2020, within the premises of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), to come forward for possible identification and recovery.
In another arrest, a 28-year-old female armourer, Fatima Garba, was apprehended alongside a gang of suspected kidnappers and armed robbers notorious for attacking innocent Nigerians around Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna and Niger States.
Mba said Fatima had been responsible for keeping the gang’s weapons for over a year and had confessed to receiving a handsome reward each time other suspects returned from a successful operation.
”She acknowledged knowing that the arms which she usually kept in a neatly dug hole in her compound were used for robberies, kidnapping and other criminal purposes. Investigations show that Fatima, who is a trader and single mother of two was recruited by her boyfriend Abubakar Usman.
”Other members of the gang include: Samaila Usman ‘m’ aged 28, Mohammed Ibrahim ‘m’ aged 30, Mohammed Agali ‘m’ aged 22, Dahiru Bello ‘m’ aged 33, Shamsu Mohammed ‘m’ aged 30, Mohammed Usman ‘m’ aged 37, Umar Abdullahi ‘m’ 33, Buhari Abubakar ‘m’ aged 33 and Abubakar Garba ‘m’ aged 37. Since they began operations, the gang is estimated to have made over twelve million naira from their various criminal escapades.”
The statement revealed that items recovered from the suspects included 5 AK47 rifles, 1 G3 rifle, 1 Berretta pistol, 1,476 rounds of ammunition, 36 rounds of G3 ammunition, 6 AK47 magazines, 1 operational vehicle, among others.
Meanwhile, the police authorities have said all suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.