The army said on Saturday that preliminary investigations also revealed that the suspects were involved in a recent Plateau State crisis and moved to Abuja to resort to “kidnapping, extortion and unleashing unprecedented carnage on residents.”
The Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator, Col Aminu Iliyasu, in a statement on Saturday confirmed the arrests, adding that the troops also rescued seven kidnapped victims from bandits in the Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna State.
Mr Iliyasu said, “A notorious Tarok militia gang leader, Shehu Jatau and five of his accomplices were also trailed and arrested in a hotel in the Central Area, Abuja. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were very active in the unfortunate Plateau crisis that caused the lives of citizens and destruction of properties worth billions of naira. However, with the return of peace in the state, the criminal gang resorted to kidnapping, extortion and unleashing unprecedented carnage on innocent residents.
“Furthermore, troops of 2 Battalion, while on a routine patrol between Polewire and Gayam villages in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State, rescued seven kidnapped victims from a group of bandits.”
