Police authorities in Bauchi and Benue States have arrested 10 suspected armed robbers in separate operations and recovered dozens of stolen phones, laptops, and other valuables.
In Bauchi, the Police Command apprehended seven suspects alleged to be members of a notorious gang terrorising students and residents in the state capital. Police spokesman, SP Ahmed Wakil, said in a statement on Friday that the suspects were responsible for a series of robberies in Federal Polytechnic Bauchi and surrounding communities, including Yelwa, Birshi Gandu, Birshin Fulani, and Gwallameji.
He disclosed that the gang had invaded student hostels, carting away phones, laptops, and power banks, while injuring some victims who resisted. Preliminary investigations revealed that stolen phones were being sold for about ₦40,000 each through accomplices.
Wakil added that another suspect, arrested on September 1, was found to have coordinated attacks involving 20 youths across the Bauchi metropolis. He further said the police foiled a motorcycle theft attempt at Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic on September 9, rescuing a suspect from mob action.
Meanwhile, in Benue State, the Police Command arrested three suspected armed robbers during a stop-and-search operation at Orokam Junction along Obollo Afor Road.
The spokesperson of the command, DSP Udeme Edet, identified the suspects as Mujahid Mohammed (21), Yahaya Abdullahi (21), and Kalipha Mohammed (28), all residents of Mararaba and Nyanya, Abuja.
According to Edet, the suspects were found with 34 handsets, three HP laptops, and two MP3 players. They confessed to belonging to a gang that had robbed several apartments in Nsukka, Enugu State, with their ringleader, Abba Mohammed, currently at large after escaping with the gang’s weapons.
Edet said the Benue Police were collaborating with Enugu and Gombe commands to track down the fugitive leader. She added that investigations were ongoing to trace the rightful owners of the recovered items.
Both Commissioners of Police in Bauchi and Benue – Sani Omolori Aliyu and Emenari Ifeanyi, respectively – commended their operatives for the arrests. They urged members of the public to remain vigilant and support security agencies with credible information to rid their communities of criminal elements.
