The Zamfara State Community Protection Guards (CPG), also known as Askarawa, has arrested nine suspects in Gusau, including bandits, informants, logistics suppliers and a fake legal practitioner.

The arrests followed intelligence-led operations across the state.

The commandant of the CPG, retired AIG Shehu Dalijan, who disclosed during the parade of the suspects yesterday.

Dalijan said the breakthrough came from detailed confessions obtained from individuals embedded within various criminal camps.

Among those paraded is 20-year-old Abubakar Malan Ori, who confessed to spending months with the camp of notorious bandit kingpin Kachalla Gwaska.

According to the commandant, Ori participated in operations across Zamfara, Kaduna, and Niger states, and the Niger Republic, and revealed that over N226 million was collected as ransom from multiple abductions.

Also paraded are Mamman Haruna and Aliyu Lawali, who detailed their involvement in massive cattle rustling and attacks alongside other notorious kingpins.

The CPG also apprehended a bandit doctor, Ibrahim Mafindi Titus, who treated wounded insurgents with medical supplies sourced internationally.

Other suspects include informants, logistics suppliers, drug merchants, and an impersonator, Mustapha Muhammed, who reportedly extorted money from the relative of a detainee outside the CPG headquarters.   Commandant Dalijan reiterated the state security architecture’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks and restoring peace.

The CPG commandant said the suspects will soon be handed over to the appropriate prosecuting agencies for further action.