Six persons suspected to be members of the outlawed volunteer vigilante group known as Yan Sakai in Sokoto state have been arrested for allegedly killing a 90 year old man and set his corpse ablaze.
Sokoto state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Sanusi Abubakar revealed this in a statement he signed and made available to newsmen in Sokoto state.
Mr. Abubakar in the statement said the crime was committed at Zangon Atti village in Gwadabawa local government area of the state.
According to him, a group of men belonging to the outlawed vigilante group attacked and accosted the deceased Muhammad Riskuwa with his son Shehu Mamman after engaging them in a conversation and one of the suspects shot and killed the deceased.
He said after killing the victim the suspects ransacked the house, made away with the sum of N430,000.00, set the house ablaze and also burnt the corpse of the deceased beyond recognition.
He said on receiving the report, Police commenced investigation and in the process six suspects were arrested in connection with the commission of the crime.
The Police spokesman said at the preliminary stage of the police investigation, all the suspects under custody confessed to the commission of the crime and they will be arraigned in court at the conclusion of investigation.
Mr. Abubakar said the police also foiled an attack by suspected hoodlums that invaded Tungan Liman village in Wurno local government area with sophisticated weapon.
He said the suspected criminals came in two teams and started shooting sporadically, but a swift reaction from the police foiled the attack and forced the criminals to hurriedly retreated from the village without kidnapping anybody.
He attributed the success of the operation to the police partnership with members of the community and intelligence led policing initiatives fully employed by the police personnel on standby for Operation Puff Adder.
The police also arrested three persons in Badawo village of Wamakko local government suspected for armed robbery, criminal conspiracy, causing bodily injury and carting away money and other belongings of the victim.
He said the change of approach to crime fighting and review of strategies and tactics to tackle crime initiated by the new Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Husaaini Gumel is yielding result and the police will sustain the approach until crime is fought to stand still in Sokoto state.
