12-year-olds among 151-member criminal gang arrested by police in Adamawa

The Adamawa State police command has burst a criminal gang of 151 members including three, 12-year-old boys, suspected to be terrorising various   Adamawa communities.

The police in their briefing said they arrested about 86 kidnappers and about 65 members of the ‘Shila’ criminal gang notorious for phone theft and harassment of members of the public.

This was made known at a press briefing on Wednesday in Yola, Adamawa State.

Among the 151 members of the gang paraded were three, 12-year-old boys while the oldest among the suspects were four adults, aged 40.

While briefing members of the press, the state Commissioner of Police, Adamu Madaki, said the suspected criminals were arrested with five AK47 rifles, ten cutlasses and knives, 128 ammunition and 18 cartridges.

He said: “The command recorded tremendous achievements through the sacrifices of some gallant officers in the command in dislodging criminals in their hideouts, arresting suspects ranging from Kidnapers, armed robbers, radical Shila boys and the rescued of innocent civilians.”

Police brief made available to our correspondent suggests that the police clampdown happened when people who received threats of kidnapping from the gang reported to the police leading to a crackdown on the criminal elements in their hideouts.

The CP explained that they would be charged to court for criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, receiving stolen properties and kidnappings.