TRADITIONAL RULER IN KANAM ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED HARBOURING OF CRIMINALS

By Udante Ugante
A traditional ruler in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State is now cooling off his heels with security agents over his alleged involvement in criminal activity in the area.

Gov. Lalong of Plateau State

Speaking to African Drum on condition of anonymity, a resident in Anguwa Hakimi said that many villages in the Locality were being disturbed constantly by suspected men of the underworld leading to the lost of property worth millions of naira. According to him, the way and manner the crime was committed left much to be desired, because it was obvious that indeed, the criminals were aided by insiders. In his words, “our suspicion was confirmed last week when gun men invaded Dengi, our Local Government Headquarters and specifically attacked the Divisional Police Headquarters killing one Police Officer (an Inspector), carted away with guns and ammunitions. In less than 24 hours, two of the suspects were arrested in the bush and in their statements, confessed to the Police that they were being harboured by a traditional ruler in the area.”

MALAM ABDUKARIM ALIYU

Corroborating the above story while speaking to our man, Mallam Abdulkarim Aliyu, the Commander of the Peace Corp in Kanam LG said that some villages in the Local Government Area have suffered great losses as a result of armed robbery activity. Prominent among the villages according to him, are; Anguwa Hakimi, Kwalmiya and Gadgi. Further explaining, the Peace Corp Commander added that in the early hours of Monday, 16th January, 2017, armed men, about ten of them attacked Dengi Divisional Police Headquarters , killed a Police Inspector, break the police cell and freed all the suspects in it and went away with guns and ammunitions. Aliyu further said that in collaboration with Vigilante and members of the Peace Corp, the Police were able to arrest two suspects who were hiding in the bush and by their confessional statements, came the revelation that a prominent traditional ruler was allegedly harbouring these criminals for quite a long time. As a result, it was possible for the criminals to continue in their nefarious activities for a long time without being caught.

Aliyu further called on residents in Kanam to give their maximum cooperation to the Peace Corps and other security agents by exposing bad eggs in their domain as well as providing useful information about miscreants living among them. He said the Peace Corps in Kanam is up and doing in its responsibility to ensure peace in the area, stressing that this is surely achievable because of the cordial relationship between the Peace Corps, the Police and other security agents in Kanam.

Recall that the Plateau State Command of the Nigerian Police confirmed an attack on the Divisional Police Headquarters in Dengi, Kanam Local Government in the early hours of Monday, 23rd January, 2017 killing an Inspector and wounding several others and carting away seven guns with ammunitions and cartridges.