While carrying out Operation Hakorin Damascus IV, Operation SAFE HAVEN troops detained criminal suspects in connection with, among other crimes, the kidnapping of University of Jos students, armed robberies, drug dealing, village attacks, farm devastation, and cattle rustling.
This information was made public in a statement published on the Nigerian Army’s official X account on Thursday. One Bashiru Musa and one Idris Abdulrahman, who were on the OPSH’s wanted list, were reportedly detained in Bassa Local Government Area in Plateau State.
The suspects admitted during questioning that they were engaged in the abduction of seven University of Jos students in July 2023, according to the statement. One AK-47 weapon that was taken from the suspects was found to be loaded with 12 7.62mm special bullets.
Similar to the attack on Takania village in Zango Kataf LGA of Kaduna State, when six people were brutally slaughtered, the military detained Goma Abubakar and Jibril Abass.
The troops also arrested two notorious armed robbers, Nasiru Ahmed and Isah Mamuda; two notorious robbery syndicates, Manu Sale and Amir Shaba; two suspected kidnappers, Abdullahi Abubakar and Musa Yakubu; two suspected cattle rustlers, Abdullahi Ibrahim and Muhammadu Ori; and an armed robbery gang leader, Shaibu Abubakar, in different local governments in the state.
A cutlass, dagger, two cell phones, regional charms, three guns, 12 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 9 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammo, and three axes were found on the suspects.
The statement partly reads, “Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) on Operation Hakorin Damascus IV during several operations launched from September 25 to October 4, 2023, have arrested 91 criminal suspects in connection with the kidnapping of University of Jos students, the attack on Takania Village, farm destruction, armed robbery, drug peddling, and cattle rustling, amongst others. The notorious kidnappers, Bashiru Musa and Idris Abdulrahman, who have been on the wanted list of OPSH, were arrested at Mista Ali village in Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State. The suspects during interrogation narrated that they were involved in the kidnapping of seven students of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) in July 2023. Items recovered from the suspects include one AK 47 rifle loaded with 12 rounds of 7.62mm special.”