Four killers of IRT men arrested as police

…launch man-hunt for ‘Buhari General’

Juliana Francis

Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Special Intelligence and Response Team (IRT) have finally tracked and nailed four, among suspected kidnappers that killed four of their men in early August.

It was gathered that in the process of investigating and tracking the killers of Inspector Benard Odibo (AP/No. 148333), Inspector Mamman Abubakar (AP/No. 181539), Inspector Haruna Ibrahim (AP/No. 192938) and Sergeant Emmanuel Istifanus (F/No. 267815), the operatives rescued a 15-year-old girl identified as Hadiza Mohammed in Giwa Local Government Area on August 25, 2018.

It will be recalled that sometimes in August; the four operatives were ambushed and killed by kidnappers.

The four men were with the Lagos SARS before they were drafted to join the Inspector-General of Police (IG) Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT), led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr. Abba Kyari.

One of the men, Odibo, was said to have moved to Kaduna State to join IRT just two weeks before he was killed.

The late operatives were drafted to the dreaded Kaduna forest for a settlement following the kidnap of a popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Adam Algarkawy.

The forest, known as Rigama Forest, is inhabited by kidnappers. It was gathered that the slain men had already arrested two suspects and were heading back to base, when the bandits appeared from nowhere and attacked them.

A source said: “These men were only recently posted to IRT. When they reported, they were welcomed by the Commissioner of Police. One of them, Odibo, was with Ogun State SARS, before he was transferred to IRT.”
After the attack and subsequent death of the men, Kyari stated that the four men died in the line of duty.
He further said:  “Sequel to the kidnapping of Sheikh Ahmad Adam Algarkawy in Rigasa area of Kaduna State on August 2, and his subsequent release after ransom was paid; there was a follow up operation. In follow up to the case on August 11, IRT operatives arrested two of the kidnappers in a remote settlement inside Rigasa Forrest, Kaduna State. As members of the team were coming out of the bush with the arrested kidnappers, other gang-members, hiding inside the bush, ambushed the IRT team and opened fire, leading to the death of four of the operatives. The bodies of the deceased were deposited at Saint Gerald Hospital mortuary, Kaduna State, for autopsy. Efforts are in progress to get the killers and bring them to justice.” The policemen were said to have been ambushed about 7p.m.

Since the murder of the policemen, Abba Kyari and his men had refused to sleep as they worked round the clock, pursuing every available lead and clue in their determination to catch the killers.

Their relentless and focused investigation finally paid off, leading to the arrest of Ayuba Dabo (27), Samaila Chiroma aka Ilu, Isah Bello Bahago (23) and Haruna Jibrin (23). The suspects were all arrested at Giwa Local Government Area, Kaduna State, after a protracted gun duel. 

According to a police source, aside from murdering four policemen and abducting 15-year-old Mohammed, the gang was also involved in armed robberies and cattle rustling. They allegedly used to operate along Maidaro/Birnin Gwari and Zaria/Giwa axis, Kaduna State. IRT recovered one AK47 rifle and two locally made guns from them.

A police source disclosed: “In follow up to the manhunt of the remaining killers of four IRT operatives on August 11, 2018 and the recent kidnapping of Hadiza Mohammed in Giwa LGA on August 25, operatives of the IGP-IRT in an unrelenting follow up succeeded in arresting four confirmed members of the kidnapping syndicate terrorising Maidaro/Birnin Gwari and Zaria/Giwa axis in Kaduna State. They are also responsible for the recent ambush and killing of four IRT personnel.

“All the suspects have confessed to the recent kidnapping of the 15-year-old girl and several armed robberies, kidnappings and cattle rustling in Kaduna State. Two among them also confessed to the ambush and killing of the four IRT personnel. The suspects mentioned their gang leaders; Buhari General and Alhaji Mamuda, who also participated in the killing of the four personnel in Kaduna. These two leaders are those in possession of the gang’s remaining operational weapons. It was through the suspects’ further confessions IRT operatives were able to rescue the 15-year-old girl. Presently, efforts are on to recover more operational weapons and arrest fleeing gang members.”