After the arrest and parade of 32 suspected kidnappers and their caches of arms and ammunition on the 31st of July, at Kateri on Abuja-Kaduna Highway, further efforts intensified by the Police personnel of Operation Absolute Sanity in the last few days have resulted in the arrest of additional 40 suspects and recovery of large caches of arms and ammunition, and other exhibits in the Rijanah area and other locations along Abuja-Kaduna Highway, the Police authorities have said.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Jimoh Moshood, said that the deployment of the Operation Absolute Sanity personnel by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris to tackle cases of kidnapping in the recent times on Abuja-Kaduna Highway have been yielding positive results.

The operations, he said, comprises Special Police Force, Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Squad, Anti-Kidnapping Units, Intelligence Response Team, Special Tactical Squad, the Force Intelligence Branch with Headquarters at Rijanah, Kaduna State.

“The Joint Police Team is under strict mandate to root out the kidnap for ransom gangs and armed robbery gangs that have been terrorising the Abuja – Kaduna Highway in the recent times.The operation is to complement and augment the on-going Joint Police/Military operations on the ground.

“The identified kidnappers’ dens, hideouts, camps and other black spots in the forest along Abuja-Kaduna Highway were stormed and raided by the personnel of Operation Absolute Sanity within the last few days and in the process three victims (names withheld) were rescued unhurt from the gangs without payment of any ransom, and they have been reunited with their families. Some of the victims have identified most of the suspects as the people that kidnapped them.”

Moshood also disclosed that all the suspects confessed to the crime and admitted to the various criminal roles they played in the commission of the crimes. He said they will all be arraigned in court on completion of investigation.

“The Inspector General of Police, hereby wishes to express deep appreciation and gratitude to the communities and people in the towns and villages along Abuja – Kaduna Highway for their cooperation and support being given to the Police personnel deployed in the Operation Absolute Sanity that have led to so many successes in the ongoing Operations.”