Saturday, July 19, 2025 - The
Kaduna State Police Command has arrested a notorious bandit leader who had been
on the run for eleven years.
Spokesperson of the command, Mansir Hassan, who disclosed
this in a statement on Friday, July 18, 2025 said police also arrested three
suspected motorcycle thieves across the state and recovered a cache of
sophisticated firearms and ammunition.
The wanted bandit identified as Mati Bagio, a 34-year-old
resident of Unguwan Galadima in Shika District, Giwa Local Government Area of
Kaduna State, was said to have led a criminal gang that terrorised communities
across Kaduna and Katsina States for years.
According to the PPRO, Bagio was apprehended by detectives
attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit led by CSP Sani Zuntu following credible
intelligence.
He said Bagio had been on the police wanted list for 11 years
for alleged involvement in multiple attacks in Giwa, Hunkuyi, Faskari, Dandume,
and Funtua Local Government Areas spanning both Kaduna and Katsina
States.
“On 18th July 2025, at about 0530 hours, acting on credible
intelligence, a team of detectives led by the Officer-in-Charge of the
Anti-Kidnapping Unit CSP Sani Zuntu, successfully tracked and arrested a
notorious gang leader popularly known as Mati Bagio 34-year-old male of Unguwan
Galadima of Shika district, Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State,"
the statement read.
"The suspect, is a notorious bandit leader who
terrorized Kaduna and Katsina states along Giwa, Hunkuyi, faskari, Dandume and
Funtua local governments Areas, he has been on the run for the past eleven
years, he was just apprehended at his residence, where a significant cache of
arms and ammunition was recovered,” he added.
"Items recovered from the suspect, he said, include:
“One AK-47 rifle; One fabricated AK-47 rifle; One pump-action gun; Two English
pistols; two AK-47 magazines; two LAR rifle magazines; four fabricated AK-47
butts; four AK-47 live ammunition rounds; ten pump-action cartridges;
eighty-seven rounds of pistol ammunition; one machete; two torchlights; one
unjamming rod.
“The arrest of this notorious bandit marks a significant
milestone in the Command’s relentless efforts to rid Kaduna of violent
criminals and illegal arms proliferation.”
He noted that Bagio remained in custody as investigations continue, with the police intensifying efforts to apprehend other fleeing members of his gang.
In a separate operation, the police said a stolen Toyota Prado SUV snatched at gunpoint in Abuja was recovered in Kaduna on July 17, 2025.
The recovery followed a distress call from the Kaduna
Command Control Room, which had tracked the vehicle to the vicinity of Shema
Filling Station in Unguwan Gwari, Kaduna.
"Upon receiving the intelligence, a patrol and
surveillance team from Kawo Division was swiftly mobilised to the location. The
area was cordoned off, and the stolen vehicle was recovered,” the police
spokesman said.
He, however, the suspect reportedly abandoned the vehicle
and fled on sighting the police.
According to him, the recovered SUV is now in police custody
pending its transfer to the FCT Police Command, where the car theft was first
reported.
Similarly, the police chief said on July 15, 2025, at about
2:00 pm, detectives also apprehended three suspected motorcycle thieves said to
specialise in attacking and dispossessing commercial motorcyclists.
Hassan identified the suspects as Yusuf Yakubu of Amana
Village, Abubakar Jibrin and Mustapha Aliyu of Unguwan Rimi, and Yunusa Yusuf
from Kujama, were arrested following actionable intelligence.
He said during the raid, the police recovered two stolen
motorcycles allegedly traced to the gang while adding that the suspects were
currently assisting police investigations aimed at uncovering more accomplices
and recovering additional stolen property.
“Also, on 15th July 2025, at about 1400hrs, following
credible intelligence from a reliable source regarding the activities of
suspected motorcycle thieves, a team of operatives led by the Officer-in-Charge
of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit swung into action.
“They tracked down and arrest one Yusuf Yakubu of Amana
Village, Abubakar Jibrin and Mustapha Aliyu at Anguwan Rimi, as well as Yunusa
Yusuf from Kujama. The suspects specialize in attacking, maiming or killing
cyclists and dispossessing them of their motorcycles. During the operation, two
stolen motorcycles were successfully recovered.”
Meanwhile, the State Police Commissioner, Rabiu Muhammad,
commended his men for their dedication, resilience, and swift response to
intelligence.
The CP also urged members of the public to continue cooperating with the police by providing credible information to aid security efforts in the state.
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