The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested a notorious bandit kingpin who had been on the run for 11 years after allegedly leading deadly operations across Kaduna and Katsina states.
The 34-year-old suspect, identified as Mati Bagio of Unguwan Galadima in Shika District, Giwa LGA, was apprehended at his hideout following a coordinated intelligence-led operation by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, led by CSP Sani Zuntu.
Bagio, long feared by residents of Giwa, Hunkuyi, Faskari, Dandume and Funtua communities, was arrested alongside a cache of deadly weapons, including five rifles and over 100 rounds of ammunition.
Among the items recovered were one AK-47 rifle, a fabricated AK-47, a pump-action gun, two English pistols, multiple magazines, dozens of ammunition, and weapon accessories—signaling the scale of operations linked to the suspect.
Police said the arrest marks a “major breakthrough” in the Command’s efforts to stamp out criminal gangs operating along the Kaduna–Katsina axis.
Spokesman DSP Mansir Hassan said Bagio would remain in custody and would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.
In a separate operation, police recovered a black Toyota Prado Jeep stolen at gunpoint in Abuja after tracking it to Unguwan Gwari, Kaduna.
(The Nation)
