Police burst car snatchers’ syndicates, arrest 7 in Kano

The Police in Kano State have busted two syndicates of sophisticated car snatchers and arrested seven suspects, a statement from the police command has revealed.

The statement, signed by the command’s Public Relation Officer, DSP Magaji Musa Majia, said two of the arrested suspects, Hassan Mohammed, a.k.a Lado Maishayi, of Mafitar Sarki in Hadejia Town, and Haruna Umar, a.k.a Daduwalle, of Fateka Village in Malamadori Local Government Area of Jigawa State were helping the police in their investigation.

The statement added that the two, with others now at large, specialised in blocking Kano/Gumel and Kano/ Hadejia roads using dangerous weapons; including guns, to rob their victims of their valuables; especially vehicles.

“The suspects have confessed to have snatched a motor vehicle belonging to a staff of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and that they had committed other heinous operations. “One locally made rifle was recovered from them while investigation continues,” the statement said. The statement further said the second syndicate comprised of five men: Adamu Musa, a.k.a Ado Maihoto, of Danni Village in Minjibir Local Government Area of Kano State, Najib Sani of Kwallam Village in Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Masa’udu Nura of Gidan Alhaji Lawan Maimagani, Layin Dan Kwatano, Funtua Town in Katsina State, Musa Shu’aibu alias Soja of Gidan Baba Tela, Sheshe Quarters in Kano Municipal Local Government Area, and Abdullahi Salmanu, alias DPO, of Burum-Burum Village in Tudun Wada local Government Area of Kano State.

It further said that the gang specialised in posing as travellers and that they would hire a motor vehicle; especially Golf Wagon or Sharon, for a long distance journey in the course of which they would snatch the vehicle. “When an unsuspecting driver carries them, they would drug him with Valium 5 to induce him to sleep. As soon as he gets sleepy they will then use the opportunity to park the vehicle, push the driver down and zoom off,” the statement said.

The suspects, the statement added, had confessed to the crime while investigation was in progress to recover more stolen vehicles they mentioned, noting that so far, one Golf Wagon and some quantity of Valium 5 were recovered from them.