A district head, Lawal Kwali, and a vigilante head suspected to have fled Kaduna State as well as 10 others have been nabbed over alleged kidnapping and cattle rustling links in Niger State.

The suspects were said to have been arrested at different locations in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state by the operatives of the Special Tactical Squad put in place by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris Kpotu.

The district head was said to have been indicted for supplying weapons to bandits terrorizing the communities in the three local government areas of Shiroro, Sarkin Pawa and Rafi.

Villagers who spoke on condition of anonymity said the district head was arrested while conveying some seized weapons and that the vigilante head had been on police wanted list in Kaduna and Niger states for a long time. He was said to have fled Kaduna where he was being trailed for criminal activities to Allawa in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

He was arrested alongside some of his members for allegedly terrorising residents in Allawa, Sarkin Pawa and Pandogari, among others.

The State Police Command’s Public Relation Officer, ASP Mohammed Dan-Inna Abubakar, said the arrest of Kwali and some of his gang members was a significant breakthrough in the on-going war against criminal elements in the state. (Daily Trust)