The police said on Tuesday they had arrested three suspected members of a gunrunning syndicate in connection with the Dec. 24 attack on some communities in Plateau.

The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, announced this at a media briefing in Abuja.

He said the arrest of the suspects followed an order by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to implement tactical strategies to bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice.

Adejobi said one ash-coloured golf car, one AK-47 rifle, one AK-49 rifle, 1,000 rounds of live ammunition, and five magazines were recovered from the suspects.

The police spokesman said efforts were being made by the police to apprehend others involved in the attacks, adding that the public would be updated as events unfolded in the attack.

Adejobi said that nine suspects were arrested on December 13, 2023, by police operatives over the attack and murder of three people in Gaube area of Kuje Area Council of the FCT.

He said the suspects were arrested following a report that three persons, who were in transit from Keffi, Nassarawa State, to Niger and Kwara states, were attacked and killed by unknown persons.

According to him, following the report, operatives of the Special Tactical Squad (STS) swiftly swung into action and arrested nine suspects.

The police spokesman said six of the suspects were identified as members of the hunters and forest guards in Kuje.

Adejobi said the suspects, who had confessed to the commission of the crime, had abandoned their bodies in Kabi forest and made away with their Bajaj motorcycle to an unknown location at Takuba Village in Kuje.

According to him, the corpses were photographed, recovered, examined, and confirmed dead by a medical practitioner before they were identified and released to their families for burial.

He said the deceased Bajaj motorcycle was also recovered, adding that an investigation was still ongoing in the matter.

Adejobi said police operatives had also arrested a suspected armed robbery and kidnapping kingpin, terrorising Nasarawa State and its environs for having one AK 49 rifle and ammunition.

He said the suspect, who uses the rifle and ammunition for robbery and kidnapping activities, was arrested following credible intelligence.

The police spokesman said the suspect had confessed to the police during investigation, that another suspect, currently at large, owned one AK-47 rifle used by the gang to terrorise Nasarawa State.

According to him, efforts are in place through technical intelligence to arrest the fleeing suspect and recover the firearm.

Adejobi said a total of 67 suspects were arrested by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Special Tactical Squad (STS) of the Nigeria Police over various criminal offences.

He said 5,454 rounds of different calibres of live ammunition, 300 live cartridges, 68 rifles, 19 different brands of vehicles and four motorcycles were recovered from the suspects.

Adejobi said 23 daggers/swords, 50 empty shells of ammunition, 8 different makes of handsets, one POS machine, and 33 different ATM cards were also recovered. (NAN)