Operatives of the Special Tactical Squad Have arrested a 30-year-old woman identified as Hauwa Yusuf for hiding one AK47 and four AK magazines inside a sack of garri. Punch reports.
Yusuf was arrested along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway during a stop-and-search operation.
The Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi disclosed this while parading suspects at the STS Headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
Adejobi added that Yusuf confessed that a notorious Bandit terrorising Katsina State, Aminu Basullube, sent her to take delivery of the arms in the Danum Madam Camp, area of the state.
Adejobi said, “On August 14, 2024, just recently, acting on intelligence, operatives of STS intercepted one Hauwa Yusuf ‘F’ 30 years of Dutsin-Ma LGA of Katsina state. The suspect was arrested while in transit from Lafia Nasarawa State to Katsina State, inside a Sienna Bus along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
“A search was conducted and One AK-47 Rifle without breach Number and Four AK magazines concealed inside a white Sack of Garri were recovered from the suspect. “During the interrogation, the Suspect confessed that it was One Aminu Basullube, a notorious Bandit terrorizing Kastina State general axis who sent her to take delivery of the arms in Danum Madam Camp, Katsina State.”
Fielding questions from journalists, Yusuf said she didn’t know a gun was concealed in the sack of garri.
She said, “I never knew that it was an arm that was inside. They asked me to go and bring millet. And unfortunately, they did not bring Gari for me. Even when I saw the thing, I was apprehensive.
“I was given 130,000 to take the garri to Katsina. My transport fare is ₦15,000. I made a mistake by not asking questions.”
Adejobi also said a team of operatives attached to the FID-STS left for Igboho in Oyo state to investigate the activities of Musa Saidu on April 29.
He said investigations revealed that the suspect had left his community for 5 years. Upon his return back to his community in Kigakwu, Kaduna state after his disappearance.
“He started spending money extravagantly, buying different brands of new motorcycles (BAJAJ) and twelve (12) cows in a day amounting to the sum of N5,000,000.00.
“Upon interrogation, he confessed to the above-mentioned crimes, he further confessed that he is operating under the leadership of one Haruna ‘m’ in Birnin Gwari forest of Kaduna State. Throughout his operations under the gang Commander Haruna ‘m’ he was using AK 47 rifles.
“That twenty-five (25) cows were given to him as his proceed of his above mentioned criminal activities, that he sold the cows in Kaduna State, all at the rate of N4,700,000.00, that’s the money he used in purchasing the Bajaj motorcycles and twelve cows, ten female, two male in Igboho Oyo State,” Adejobi stated.
He explained that he became a cattle rustler after he fell victim.
The suspect added that he was arrested after he travelled back home to enjoy the proceeds of his crime.
He said, “I went to Oyo because there were too many problems in Kaduna. I had my cattle but they were rustled. I know cattle rustling is a crime but I did it because of what was done to me. After I made money, I stopped and went back to the village to spend my money.”