The Kebbi State Police Command on Monday said it had neutralised a bandit, arrested 47 suspects and recovered 40 firearms in operations targeting banditry and gun running across parts of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Umar M. Hadejia, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the command headquarters in Birnin Kebbi.

He said two of the arrested suspects had been terrorising communities in Wasagu Local Government Area.

"Forty-seven suspects were arrested for various violent crimes, including armed robbery, banditry and motorcycle snatching," he said.

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Hadejia said a police patrol team intercepted and arrested two suspected bandits during a routine patrol along the Bena-Mai Rai Rai road.

He identified them as Aliyu Hussaini, 23, from Minna in Niger State, and Sani Abubakar, 28, from Nasarawa Burkullo in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Items recovered from the suspects include 36 rounds of live ammunition, one magazine, a Bajaj motorcycle, ₦264,000, nine memory cards, four SIM cards, three Android phones and one keypad phone.

The commissioner added that a joint operation with the Nigerian Army along the Kamba-Kangiwa road led to the recovery of rustled cattle.

He said further recoveries included 10 AK-47 rifles, eight fabricated AK-47 rifles, two Mack-four rifles, five locally made revolvers, five single-barrel guns, five dane guns, two locally made pistols and three fabricated Beretta pistols.

In a separate incident, a patrol team along the Amburusa-Sanyinna road arrested one Hussaini Abubakar for allegedly conspiring with one Ukasha Bande to snatch a Bajaj motorcycle with registration number BRK 749 UT from Nasiru Alhassan.

"The suspect used a sharp sack needle to inflict serious injuries on the victim," he said.

Hadejia further said operatives attached to the Kalgo Division, acting on intelligence, arrested one Ashiru Muhammad, 20, of Alabani village near Makera.

He said the suspect confessed to conspiring with two others, Usman Muhammad and Anas Bangola, who are now at large, to block the Masallaci Zarya-Jega road, where they attacked Danjuma Baban Yara and stabbed him in the head.