Bauchi police nabs 9 suspects over robbery, other criminal offences

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Mohammed Kaka Misau

A crime bulletin from the Bauchi state command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) disclosed yesterday that nine suspects were apprehended over armed rubbery, burglary and other criminal offences.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ahmed Mohammed Wakil said in the crime bulletin that the suspects were arrested by Operation Restore Peace (ORP) and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).

The PPRO while stating that the joint efforts of the ORP and RRS led to a significant breakthrough in the fight against criminal activities within the state, informed that three suspected armed robbers who have been unleashing terror within Bauchi metropolis were apprehended in August 13, 2023, at about 15:03 hours.

The PPRO said the suspects were arrested by officers of the command while acting on credible intelligence regarding the activities of a robbery syndicate in the area.

“The operatives swiftly took action. The syndicate had been under the Command’s watchlist due to their involvement in several armed robberies”, he said.

According to SP Wakil, the suspects’ most recent criminal activities occurred on July 10th and July 21st, 2023 at Bayan Gari and Sabon Layi areas of the state.

He said that the arrested suspects include Abdulrahman Yusuf (alias Audun Kauye), 21 years old, of Kobi Street, Bauchi, Hassan Adamu, 24 years old, of Kobi Street, Bauchi, Usman Samaila (alias R-kelly), 25 years old, of Kobi Street, Bauchi, Usman Abubakar (alias Galati), 19 years old, of Kofer Gombe area, Bauchi.

The PPRO noted that, during interrogation, the suspects confessed to being responsible for nighttime house burglaries and robberies.

“They confessed to having targeted three different houses in the Unguwar Sabon Layi area, stealing items including a keypad phone, seventy thousand Naira and a computer laptop.
Exhibits recovered include one Keke Napep, three handheld phones, and one laptop”, SP Wakil further explained.

He said investigation is ongoing, with efforts being intensified to apprehend the remaining accomplices who are still at large.

Also, the PPRO said one suspect was arrested in a separate incident on August 14, 2023, at about 03:47 hours by the Command’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS) after receiving a distress call from a vigilant citizen.

SP Wakil said that the vigilant citizen had reported that a group of seven hoodlums armed with cutlasses and knives were attacking houses in the Dorawan Dillalai area.

“The RRS swiftly responded to the call and arrived at the scene. One Umar Ibrahim Tafida, whose house was targeted first, sustained injuries from the attackers and was immediately taken to General Hospital Bauchi for treatment”, he explained.

The PPRO added that during the operation, one suspect, Abubakar Yahaya of Unguwar Gwallaga, Bauchi was apprehended and he revealed during interrogation that they were invited by a neighbour named Oba.

SP Wakil who informed that three laptops, one laptop charger, and three cutlasses were recovered, said investigation is ongoing, with efforts aimed at capturing the remaining accomplices who fled the scene.

The PPRO further said the Command’s Operation Restore Peace (OPR) unit acted on credible intelligence and successfully arrested four suspects linked to criminal conspiracy, housebreaking, and theft.

He said that the suspects include: Adamu Mohammed, 23 years old, of Old Airport
Mohammed Shehu, 23 years old, of Railway Quarters, Umar Faruq Mohammed, 23 years old, of New GRA and
Abdulaziz Usman, 24 years old, of Railway Quarters.

He added that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects collaborated to commit burglaries in the GRA area of Bauchi, targeting various households.

The PPRO said stolen items such as two plasma TVs, five mattresses, one refrigerator, and four carpets were recovered from the suspects and that, further investigation led to the arrest of the individual who received the stolen goods.

He said items recovered from him were an HP laptop, clothes, caps, and an iPhone 13 Pro, valued at N750,000, adding that the iPhone was traced back to a robbery that occurred on August 2, 2023, in Nasarawa State, where armed robbers targeted a serving corps member’s compound.

SP Wakil said all the arrested suspects have confessed to their crimes and will be charged to court after the completion of the investigations.

According to the crime bulletin, the Commissioner of Police Bauchi State Command, CP Auwal Musa Muhammad has ordered a meticulous investigation to recover additional stolen properties and apprehend the remaining culprits.

The CP who commended the Operatives for their sacrifice and resilience towards fighting crime, thanked members of the public for providing credible intelligence that has helped the Police in achieving the successes recorded so far.