14-year-old bandit, Sani Suleiman has been arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Kadage village, in Moriki Emirate, Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara state.
The NSCDC State commandant, A.A. Sparks. who disclosed this to journalists on Wednesday said the teenager is a rapist and one of the foot soldiers of a bandit kingpin, Bello Turji.
Sparks said it was discovered from investigation that the teenage suspect was trained in the use of weapons by one Salihu Gang at Sububu forest.
He said the boy confessed that he participated in cattle rustling, kidnapping activities and raping women brought to their camps.
“Salihu Gang is said to be a foot soldier of a notorious armed bandit known as (Bello) Turji that has been terrorising the entire northwest zone,” Sparks said.
He, however, said investigation was still ongoing and that the boy would be arraigned in court as soon as the investigation was completed.
Similarly, the corps arrested 10 illegal miners suspected to be bandits at Matuzgi village, in the Talata-Mafara Local Government Area of the state.
“The men of the corps raided the illegal mining site in the early hours of Wednesday, 9th February, 2022, where about 9 bags of raw precious stones were confiscated by the corps special strike force and brought to the command,” he said.
Sparks listed shovels, diggers and hammers as some of the exhibits recovered from the site.