The police command in Zamfara says that it has arrested eight suspects for banditry-related offences, criminal conspiracy, robbery and fraud.

According to the statement in Gusau on Thursday, police spokesman Muhammad Shehu said the command also seized 15 local firearms, 146 rounds of Ak-47 ammunition, dried leafs suspected to be Indian Hemp and N1 million cash as exhibits.

Mr Shehu added that police tactical operatives on confidence-building patrol along Munhaye forest in the Tsafe council area acted on an intelligence report and conducted a rigorous patrol/stop and search to arrest some suspected gun runners.

“The gun runners on their way to the forest to supply arms and ammunition to the bandits, after noticing police presence, abandoned the arms and ammunition and fled into the forest,” he added. “On 24th January 2023, police detectives acted based on (a) complaint by one Abubakar Lawali of Talata Mafara LGA that some suspects conspired and defrauded him N1 million by withdrawing (the) same from his account through a POS operator via his ATM card,” Mr Shehu explained.

He added, “According to the complainant, the suspects succeeded in their action when they offered to help him to make (a) withdrawal when he could not make the transactions due to network problem. They collected his ATM card and deceitfully withdrew the money from (the) POS operator.”

The police officer revealed that during the interrogation, “all the arrested suspects confessed to the crime and further stated how they carried out similar fraud at different banks in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara states respectively” and that “N1 million cash belonging to the complainant and a vehicle were recovered from them as exhibits.”

The police spokesman said on Tuesday, police detectives acted on an intelligence report and arrested some suspects residing in Bela village under Bungudu LGA.

(NAN)