The police have arrested a suspected member of a kidnapping gang while attempting to buy an AK-47 rifle for the group.
The suspect, Sanda Aliyu, was arrested on 3 August in Kaiama Local Government Area before the alleged arms transaction could be completed, according to the police.
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The arrest followed intelligence received by operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Section, the police state command said in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi.
The police said Mr Aliyu was negotiating with another suspect, Aliyu Mohammed, who allegedly agreed to supply the rifle but remains at large.
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N1.6m payment
According to the statement, investigators found that Mr Aliyu had allegedly paid N1.6 million towards the purchase of the firearm before his arrest.
“Aliyu disclosed that he wanted to acquire the AK-47 to rise to the position of a ‘Boss’ within his existing kidnapping gang,” Ms Ejire-Adeyemi said.
“He said he planned to eventually leave the group and establish and lead his own criminal gang.”
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The command said the investigation would establish the source of the money, identify the intended supplier of the firearm and uncover other members of the suspected criminal network.
Linked to kidnapping
The arrest comes amid heightened concerns over kidnapping and other violent crimes in parts of Kwara State.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that police were investigating the movement of funds linked to suspected kidnapping activities in the state after a suspected kidnapper was reported to have withdrawn money as part of preparations for a criminal operation.
The latest arrest, according to the police, highlights the role of arms procurement and financial transactions in the activities of suspected kidnapping networks operating in the state.
The police did not disclose whether Mr Aliyu was linked to the earlier case.
READ ALSO: Kidnapper arrested while withdrawing ransom in Kwara
Mr Mohammed, who allegedly negotiated the sale of the AK-47, remains at large.
The Commissioner of Police in Kwara, Ojo Adekimi, said the command would sustain its operations against criminal groups in the state.
“There will be no respite in the ongoing offensive against criminal elements,” he said.
He urged residents to provide security agencies with information that could help prevent arms trafficking, kidnapping and other crimes.
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