Their body frame and seeming innocent looks would never give them away as robbers, let alone being members of a notorious gang that had been terrorizing Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
But the trio of Hashimu Galadima,aka Kan Wuka, Abduwahab Abdulhassan,aka Emeka and Abdulwahab Ahmed a.k.a Dan Mama , confessed to being behind several kidnappings, robbery operations and some murders in Bauchi.
One of their victims as disclosed ,was a lawmaker at the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Musa Mante Baraza.
The lawmaker representing Dass constituency was killed in August 2020, by bandits who stormed his house at night.
After snuffing life out of him, they abducted his two wives and one-year-old child .
Another victim was former Divisional Police Officer in charge of Tafawa Balewa Division ,CSP Garkuwa.
The sin of the cop was that he deprived bandits access to operate in areas under his watch.
The arrest of the suspected deadly gang members was made following a directive by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba, to the Force Intelligence Response Team, IRT , headed by Tunji Disu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Crime Guard gathered that some members of the gang were earlier arrested in connection with the murder of the lawmaker ,while others are still on the run when news of the latest arrest reached them.
Starling confession
Forty-eight –year-old leader of the gang, Hashimu aka Kan-Wuka, who hails from Galvan Village in Bakari-Bagel district of Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi State, admitted to have led the operation in which the lawmaker was killed..
Hashimu, who was arrested shortly after serving a two –year jail term for a case of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping, revealed that the law maker was killed because he offended him and other members of his gang.
Asked what the late lawmaker’s offence was, he responded to the amazement of all, “ He gave people money but never gave me.
“ My gang was responsible for his killing and kidnap of three members of his family.He did not only offend me but also other members of my gang. He was a generous man. He doled out money to people but he never gave to me , even when I begged him severally. That was why I hated him.
” Honestly, on the night we stormed his house, the intention was not to kill him . But one of my gang members , Abdulhassan, said he also hated the lawmaker .
“ He suggested we should waste his life . It was this same Abdulhassan that facilitated how we located the law maker’s house and how we gained access into the house”.
Former DPO’s murder
Asked why his gang killed the former DPO, he replied, “ We all hated the DPO. We waited for him to retire before we struck. While he was the DPO of Tafawa Balewa police station ,he was always giving us a tough time by arresting our members. He never gave us breathing space to operate in that area”.
The ex-convict also confessed to having participated in other different high profile crimes in Bauchi state.
He said “ I was first arrested for a case of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping at Dass Divisional Police Station .The case was transferred to the Bauchi State Criminal Investigations Department , from where I was charged to court.
“The court found me guilty and I was sentenced to two years in prison. When I finished serving the jaill term at the Bauchi Central Prison ,I continued my criminal activities. .Other members of my gang are: Yalura ,Shagari Wakai ,Ibrahim , Abdulhassan Abdulwahab “..
My role in lawmaker’s murder – Alhassan
On his part, his partner in crime, Alhassan , admitted to have participated in the robbery operation at the late lawmaker’s house by directing the gang to the place. He however denied joining them on the day of operation.
His role in the gang, according to him, was to sell illicit drugs that emboldened members.
He said, “ I am into the sale of drugs. I know most of these criminals and sell hard drugs to them .My problem with Honourable Mante was that he refused to help me when I had problems with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,NDLEA in Bauchi. I sent people to beg him to use his position to bring me out but he ignored me. That was why I mentioned his name to the gang as a target” he stated.
The Force Police Relations Officer , CSP Muyiwa Adejobi , who confirmed the arrest of the suspects, assured that the Force would continue to play it’s constitutional role of protecting lives and properties of the citizens of Nigeria. (Vanguard)
