The Police Command in Borno State said operatives of “Operation Puff Adder’’ had arrested five soldiers and 83 other suspects over alleged armed robbery and other offences in the state.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mohammed Aliyu, made the disclosure in Maiduguri, the state capital on Thursday, while briefing journalists.

Mr Aliyu said the soldiers were arrested at different times for various acts of armed robbery in Maiduguri between May 3 and 23.

He explained that Hilary Oziama, a corporal, with Force number 09NA/63/3117, was arrested on May 13 after he allegedly conspired with Kolawale Samuel, a lance corporal, still at large and robbed one Ibrahim Mohammed of his tricycle worth N600, 000.

Mr Aliyu added that two other soldiers, Mohammed Abubakar with force number 17NA/76/15521 and Ibrahim Musa, 17NA/76/4381, conspired with Mohammed Mustapha and Sani Abdullahi to rob one Sani Musa of his cell phone worth N5,000.

He said the soldiers and their accomplices were arrested by personnel of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Maiduguri.

Mr Aliyu also said a soldier, Tgwe Sylvester (15NA/73/0510), conspired with one Nnamani Micheal and stole a car from its owner at Bayo in Bayo Local Government Area of the state.

He added that two locally-made pistols were recovered from the suspects.

The commissioner said that a Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) official, Rapheal Akintola, was arrested with 60 rounds of live ammunition at Maiduguri Motor Park.

He disclosed that 237 live ammunition were also recovered by the police under the Customs Bridge in Maiduguri metropolis.

He said that six persons – Modu Ali, Kaka Ali, Wakil Ba’a, Abba Babagana and Tijjani Bukar – were arrested in connection with the ammunition recovered under the bridge.

According to Mr Aliyu, the command also burst a kidnap syndicate at Askira Uba after they abducted and extorted N1.6 million from their victim, Sale Hamman.

“The suspects are Ibrahim Usman, Ahmadu Hammsn, Sule Hamman and Hamman Abdulrahaman.

“A drug peddler, Charles Noah, was arrested by the police in Maiduguri in possession of narcotic substances worth N2 million, while a large quantity of drugs were seized and many suspects arrested.

“The police also arrested two lovers, Shettima Bukar and Saude Saleh, over the murder of their new born child in Maiduguri.’’

While reiterating the command’s commitment to achieving crime-free society, the commissioner called on criminals to surrender.

He assured that they would be assisted and rehabilitated to be reintegrated into the society.

(NAN)