The Adamawa State Police Command has nabbed 69 people suspected to have been involved in kidnapping, armed robbery, homicide and violence in parts of the state.

They include 19 suspected kidnappers, 25 suspected Shila Boys, six charged for criminal intimidation and extortion, and 18 for inciting communal clashes in Tigno in Lamurde LGA, and one for culpable homicide.

The state Commissioner of Police, CP Olubenga Adeyanju, who paraded the suspects on Monday, said the police made the arrests in the course of dislodging kidnappers, Shila Boys, armed robbers and cattle rustlers from their hideouts.

He said the operations were with support from the state government, vigilantes and hunters.

He said the suspected kidnappers were rounded up when, following information, operatives of the state police command and members of vigilantes and hunters, stormed a hotbed of kidnappers called Yadim Hills on May 29, 2020, and apprehended seven suspects.

According to him, “investigation further led to the arrest of another syndicate that kidnapped Sule Haro and Solomi Ishaya and killed the husband, Pastor Ishaya, in April 2020 at Mararaba Boki in Gombi LGA.

He added that the suspected kidnapping gang also kidnapped one Aminu Hassan, Isah Usman and Hamza Adamu of Uba village in Hong LGA and demanded N10 million ransom before they were rescued.

“The group further confessed to have kidnapped Dodde Zumo and Ya’u Mohammadu, both residents of Zumo in Maiha LGA and collected N1 million before they were apprehended.

The police commissioner named the six people charged with criminal intimidation and extortion as Musa Bello (20 years), Adamu Ibrahim (28), Lazarus Musa (32), Bashir Ali (30), Yahuza Mohammed (25), and Faruk Usman (28).

He said the six belonged to a syndicate that frequently called and threatened their target to pay millions of naira or risk being kidnapped, but that the command, following complaints of members of the public, arrested them.

Speaking on the 25 Shila Boys who were mostly teenagers, the police commissioner said their arrest followed frequent area patrol along Madam State, Jambutu and Doubeli in Yola North LGA and Viniklang and Ganye in Girei and Ganya LGAs.

He itemised exhibits recovered from the Shila Boys as a Dane gun, seven cutlasses, 19 knives, two arrows, eight handsets, two tricycles, large quantities of weeds and illicit drugs, as well as charms.

According to him, one Buba Mohammed (20 years old), who was paraded with the other suspects, conspired with one Alhaji, now at large, and attacked one Sgt Amos Joseph, a police officer attached to Namtari Police Station, and machetted him to death.