A syndicate allegedly behind series of robbery in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, has been arrested by operatives attached to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr. Ibrahim Idris’s Special Intelligence Response Squad, SIRT.

The six-man gang was arrested for hijacking of 600 bags of rice valued at N6million.

Prior to their arrest, the IGP had ordered the SIRT operatives, led by a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Mr. Abba Kyari, to track those behind burglary and theft in Abuja and environs.

The operatives swooped into action and arrested the suspects – Nasiru Mohammed, 28, Ibrahim Mohammed, 42, Yahaya Shuaibu, 38 and Alaramma Nura Idris, 37, Mallam Sani Mohammed Usman, 45, who received the truck loaded with stolen rice and the major buyer, Abubakar Ishaku Gwagwalada.

Gwagwalada was said to have bought 400 bags at N7, 000 per bag.

While parading the suspects before newsmen at the FCT Police Command, the IGP said the command received an alert on the increasing cases of diversion of goods after one Yahya Umar Santa, wrote a petition to the FCT State Criminal Investigations Department, SCID.

According to Idris, the petitioner complained about a transporter who disappeared with his 600 bags of rice, noting that the stolen rice was worth N6m.

While the police say they are making efforts to recover the bags of rice, the suspects, who were all arrested in Kaduna, Niger and Abuja respectively, are said to be assisting IRT operatives with investigation.