Six persons alleged to be notorious kidnappers terrorising Kaduna-Abuja highway have been arrested.

The Kaduna State internal security outfit known as Operation Yaki, announced the arrests on Sunday in Kaduna.

A statement signed by the spokesperson to Governor Nasir El Rufai, Samaila Aruwan, said the suspects were picked up on Thursday and Friday last week by Operation Yaki Surveillance Patrol Teams in a joint operation with the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Teams, IRT, and with support from the Technical Intelligence Unit TIU.

“The arrest of the kidnappers is sequel to the massive deployment of more police assets and patrol vehicles in the area in the last one week,” the statement said.

Aruwan also said the efforts led to the arrests of the suspects including the leader of the gang, Adamu Mamman, a 35-year-old of Amana village in Igabi Local Government Area; Ali Rabo, also known as Blakky, of Liman Ibada village in Chikun Local Government Area; and Awwalu Ahmad, aka Mota, of Rijana village in Kachia Local Government Area who is the main informant of the gang of kidnappers along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

Others arrested are Shehu Shagari, a 27-year-old of Gadan Gayan village in Igabi Local Government Area; and Umar Antijo, also a 27-year-old of Rijana village in Kachia Local Government Area. Also in the net is Babangida Abdullahi of Rijana village in Kachia Local Government Area who is the alleged receiver of stolen cattle, phones and laptops.

Announcing the arrests, Yakubu Yusuf, a retired colonel and Coordinator of Operation Yaki, said that the security operations against kidnappings are being funded by the Kaduna State Government.

He disclosed that Governor El-Rufai has been encouraging and supporting inter-agency cooperation in the fight against crime.