NOTORIOUS CATTLE RUSTLER KINGPIN ARRESTED AK-49, RECOVERED IN NASARAWA STATE By Raymond Enoch
In a strategic strike against organized crime, police operatives in Nasarawa State have apprehended a notorious criminal kingpin linked to a wave of kidnappings, cattle rustling, and armed robbery that have haunted rural communities for years.
The suspect, Abashe Gizo, male, with no fixed address, was dramatically arrested at Shinge Market in Lafia during a high-stakes operation led by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). The arrest, confirmed in an official press statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, followed credible intelligence and a coordinated manhunt.
Gizo, long on the Command’s wanted list, had eluded authorities through an intricate network of hideouts—until yesterday, when intelligence cracked the case wide open.
Upon his arrest, Gizo reportedly confessed to his involvement in a string of high-profile crimes, including the abduction of locals and large-scale cattle thefts across Doma Local Government Area and beyond. He later led investigators to his remote hideout in Ruwan Baka village, Doma LGA, where officers recovered a high-powered AK-49 rifle (Breach No. 453144) and a loaded magazine concealed at the site.
“This is not just an arrest—it’s a blow to organized crime networks operating in Nasarawa,” said CP Shetima Jauro Mohammed, the state’s Commissioner of Police. “We are making it clear: criminals have nowhere to hide.”
The operation comes on the heels of another major bust involving Fatima Salisu, a suspected arms courier intercepted last week while allegedly transporting ammunition from Doma to Katsina State.
Authorities suggest a potential link between the two suspects, pointing to a broader web of criminal collaboration spanning state lines. Investigations are ongoing.
The Commissioner urged residents to remain alert and continue supporting law enforcement efforts through timely information sharing. “Together, we can uproot the threats to peace and restore full confidence in public safety across Nasarawa,” CP Mohammed emphasized.
This latest breakthrough underscores a growing synergy between police intelligence units and community informants, which has yielded several high-profile arrests in recent months.
With one kingpin in cuffs and a deadly rifle off the streets, Nasarawa breathes a little easier of crime.
