Kaduna — Men of the Nigeria Air Force attached to Kaduna State special security outfit Operation Yaki have apprehended 13 men carrying guns and other dangerous weapons in Kubarachi settlement, in Kaduna metropolis, Saturday night.
Confirming the arrest, Public Relations Officer of Nigerian Air Force in Kaduna, Wing Commander Edward Gabkwet, yesterday said, "I can confirm that 13 people were arrested and taken to NAF Base in Kaduna at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday. After preliminary check on their persons, they were subsequently handed over to the CID office for further investigation and necessary action."
Though it was not yet certain where the persons were coming from, they claimed to be hunters on their way to Auchi in Edo State. But the security operatives wondered why hunters would carry so many weapons such as guns, clubs and machetes.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer for Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Aminu Lawan, said he had no details of the arrest and did not know whether the said persons were in police custody or not. He, however, promised to provide additional information to journalists as soon as it was available.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP, Lawan assured the people of the state that the Operation Yaki squad was battle-ready to deal with any possible spill-over of the Jos crisis to the state. Men of the Operation Yaki team were seen patrolling strategic crisis prone arrears in Kaduna metropolis in their full battle-ready uniforms since the Jos crisis started.
"We cannot afford to rest on our oars and take any chance; so, we are ready for anything," he said, adding, "Since the establishment of Operation Yaki, Kaduna State has been enjoying unprecedented peace; and we intend to maintain this peace no matter what it takes."
The Operation Yaki is a specialised police unit well equipped by the Sambo administration with state of the art patrol vans, motorcycles, bulletproof jackets, GPS and latest communication gadgets to make the state safe and business-friendly.
According to the command's spokesman, the Operation Yaki teams operate not only in the metropolis but all over the state, even in villages.
"Their presence had greatly helped in reducing crime rate to the barest minimum. You no longer hear reports of highway or neighborhood robberies, car snatching or theft, or house breakings in this state. If you go to our police stations now, the cases you will find are normal offences such as assaults, breach of trust and other civil offences. But in terms of serious crimes, the Operation Yaki had been very effective in curtailing them. Now the people of Kaduna State sleep with their two eyes closed."
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI) on Saturday in Kaduna raised an alarm over the circulation of "short text hate messages (SMS)".
CAN Secretary, Rev Joseph Hayab, and JNI Chairman, Alhaji Ja'afaru Makarfi, at a joint news conference, appealed to citizens of the state to ignore the SMS and go about their normal business.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the two religious leaders said they were alerted about the message by security agencies and that it was circulated with the intention of stirring hatred and cause mistrust among members of the two religions.
According to them, one of the messages from an anonymous member of the public warned Christians not to buy food from Muslims "as they are poisoned".
Another one read: "Governor Jonah Jang has ordered the stoppage of water supply to Muslim- dominated areas in Jos."
Hayab urged the Christian clergy to use Sunday sermons to sensitise their members on the need for peaceful co-existence in the state.
He said, "We are living together peacefully in Kaduna, so there is no iota of truth in the text messages being circulated.
"Let both Christians and Muslims ignore the SMS messages because God is the only one who can protect us all; so let us all believe in Him and go about our daily activities without fear or favour.
"If you gather the whole weapons to protect yourself, if God does not protect you, it is null and void."
Hayab urged Christians in the state to pray to God for peace to reign in the country.
On his part, Makarfi appealed for calm and urged Muslims who received the hate SMS to delete and ignore them.
"They are only meant to cause panic and crisis in the state.
"So, when you get such SMS do not forward them to anyone," he said.
Makarfi said that some people were not happy with the peace and development in Kaduna State, adding, "And they want to do all within their powers to disrupt the peace."
He appealed to the media not to publish any issue that could cause disharmony among people, pointing out that they should alert the security agencies whenever they notice anything that could result in the breakdown of law and order. Makarfi said information reaching them from Jos showed that the situation was under control following the deployment of soldiers to the troubled spots.
Meanwhile, the state government has beefed up security in and around Kaduna metropolis to contain any breach of peace. The state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Saidu Adamu, said the government was leaving no stone unturned in its bid to ensure peace.
Adamu appealed to all residents to ignore any SMS and rumours and go about their normal business as government was ready, at all times, to protect their lives and property.
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