No fewer than 29 kidnap victims including the village head of Jirgwai in Madobi Local Government Area, Inusa Idris, have been rescued in Kano State, the state’s police spokesman, Haruna Abdullahi, has said.
At a briefing held at the state police command on Friday, January 17, 2020, in Bompai said 11 suspected kidnappers were arrested by the police in the state.
According to him, 15 armed robbers were also arrested by the command.
Abdullahi also hinted that one Solomon Musa Tarfa of No 15 Iroko Avenue, Normansland was also arrested for allegedly operating illegal orphanage.
He said 19 children were rescued from the said orphanage, while further investigation led to the rescue of eight more children at a sister-orphanage in Kaduna state.
He said: “On 25 December 2019, credible Information available at the Command’s disposal revealed that one Prof. Solomon Musa Tarfa of number 15 Iroko Avenue, Normansland, Kano operates an orphanage named Du Mercy Children Development Ministry without lawful authority.
“He used the orphanage to house children of both sexes reasonably believed to be abducted. Based on that information, the command’s teams of Operation Puff-Adder were detailed for intelligence-led operation.
“He was arrested and 19 children were found under his control or possession. The investigation was extended to the sister Orphanage home located at No 6 Favour Close, Narayi High Cot Kaduna and eight more children were found.”
Abdullahi further stated, “the wife of the principal suspect, one Mercy Tarfa now at large is in active connivance with her husband to commit the heinous crime where she participated fully in sourcing the children through unlawful means.
“Further investigation into the case reveals that one Chidi Christopher Nwoye also at large, a Medical Doctor with Assumpta Clinic, Normansland, Kano aid and facilitated the procuring of pregnant women, gave them the necessary medical care/attention and after given birth, he then collects and hand over the children to the principal suspect, Solomon Musa Tarfa. The investigation is in progress.”
He further stated that, “three notorious kidnappers/ armed robbery suspects led by their gang leader, Murtala Sani who terrorizes part of Kano, Kaduna and Katsina states were trailed with technical support and were arrested.”
According to him, “a syndicate of five suspected armed robbers was also busted. Suspects were trailed and arrested after a complaint of an armed robbery was lodged by one Alhaji Yusuf Hassan of Ta’udu village, Rano Local Government Area, Kano.
“Suspects were arrested at different locations within the state. Suspects confessed to have entered the house of the complainant, injured him and robbed him the sum of N2, 050, 000.00.
“They confessed to the crime and also confessed to have robbed a Chinese nationalist last year.”
He added that ‘’assorted dangerous weapons, including one AK 47 rifle, two magazines, 56 Rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, one English pump action rifle, one round of live cartridge, one revolver pistol loaded with seven rounds of live ammunition, 37 mobile handsets, 100 pieces of memory cards, 600 bags of sesame seeds were among weapons recovered the suspects.’’
