By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri
The North East Chairman and Commander of Hunters/Vigilantes (Sarkin Baka) based in Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State, Alhaji Mohammed Shawulu Yohanna in company of his team has intercepted a group of suspected kidnappers around Gorgor and Liya villages leading to the arrest of the kidnappers kingpin names withheld.
The leader of the hunters has also recovered a sophisticated rifle and the sum of N945,000 as exhibits from the kidnappers and handed over the arrested suspects to the Divisional Police Office (DPO), Azare town, Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State for further action.
Yohanna who disclosed this to our correspondent in a telephone conversation in Maiduguri, revealed also that him and his team arrested some Boko Haram food suppliers and recovered N6.050 million in their possession at one of the villages above of Hawul Local government council area, before he handed them over to the authorities of the 231 Battalion, Biu for further action.
He said, the kidnappers however, descended on a Fulani settlement around Gorgor/Liya communities and asked the whereabout of their leader, a.k.a Ardo in Fulani parlance.
Unfortunately, when the (kidnappers) discovered that the Fulani Leader was no where to be found, they broke the two legs of the Fulani leader’s son before collecting the sum of N1 million cash from his family members, despite his absence and injury to his son.
He said: “We received a distress call that some kidnappers stormed a Fulani settlement in-between Gorgor and Liya communities. I quickly mobilized my team to the area for rescue.
“On reaching the area, we clashed with the kidnappers at about 3am, which led to exchange of fire and fortunately for us, we were overwhelmed by the kidnappers including the arrest of their leader who was in possession of a sophisticated rifle.
“We also recovered about N945,000 cash from the Leader, as they were able to squander some amount from the N1 million seized from the Fulani men.
“Presently, we took the arrested leader, the recovered money and the rifle to Hawul, where we handed everything we recovered from the suspects over to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for further investigation,” Yohanna said.
He however, commended the security agencies and Borno State Government under the leadership of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum as well as the Theatre Commander, JTF Operation Hadin Kai, North East, Major General Christopher Musa for their unflinching support and determination in the collective efforts and fight against insecurity in the state and region.
