A Katsina Senior Magistrate Court has remanded nine persons accused of rustling, kidnapping and leaking information to bandits on movement of security operatives in the state.
The accused persons are AbdulRazaq Lawal (22), Ibrahim Muhammed (23), Hamisu Bawa (40), Lawal Badamosi (23), Hamisu Musa (40), Isyaku Usman (45), Salisu Lawal (28), Usman Audu and Rabiu Gidale.
According to the Police First Information Report (FIR) deposited at the court, the accused were smoked out from their hideouts at Illela Village, Mahuta in the Rugu Forest in Safana Local Government Area of the state on April 12, 2019, by a team of Operation Puff Adder who were assisted by local vigilantes in the area. “They were found to have belonged to the gang of thieves terrorising Safana and Batsari LGAs in cattle rustling and kidnapping and also gave information to bandits on the movement of security agents deployed to avert cattle rustling/kidnapping and also aided the bandits by giving them information on who to kidnap in the locality,” the FIR read in part as reported by Daily Trust.
The presiding Magistrate, Fadilla Dikko, remanded the accused till May 30, 2019, after the Prosecutor, Sani Ado, told the court that the suspects were only at the court for recognition as investigation was ongoing.
