Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
July 25, 2023.
The Borno Police Command has arrested 78 suspects for murder, burglary and hand-set snatching in the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) and Jere local council in the state.
The suspects were arrested in 14 communities, including Abuja-Sheraton, cattle market, and the Kano motor-park of the Maiduguri metropolis.
Parading the suspects, yesterday (Tuesday), in Maiduguri, the Police Commissioner, Yusufu Lawal, disclosed: “A 10-member group of hoodlums attacked a police constable, Babagana Mala attached to the Police crack unit on July 23, 2023.
“On receipt of distress call, the police patrol team responded and rescued the victim along the Bayan Quarters artillery, by taking Mala to the Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, where he was later certified dead.”
He explained that; Mala was stabbed in the back with a knife by one of the assailants.
On how they were arrested, Lawal said: “The Police undercover operatives obtained a video clip of the incident from a good Samaritan,” adding that this led to the arrest of Usman Audu, Hauwa Usman, Aisha Musa, Abba Bala, Sunday Garba, David Paul.”
According to him, the other four arrested suspects include Mohammed Abubakar, Jude Eze, Amaechi Abdulsalam Afochibe and Nduibuse Nnaji.
Besides, he added that 78 other suspects were arrested including a wanted criminal involved in a case of culpable homicide which was reported on May 13, 2023 at Dala Bulumkutu.
He further disclosed that exhibits recovered from the suspects; include dangerous weapons such as knives, cutlasses, machetes and axes.
“Some of the arrested suspects were found with illicit substances such as weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, bottles of “Suck and Die”, “Rubber solutions”, tramadol and exol tablets.”
While speaking on burglary and theft, the Police boss said a syndicate of four young women in the Dala area of Maiduguri, were arrested for shop lifting of food items and provisions at two shopping complex.
According to him, the suspected women were in flown gowns (hijabs) pretending of shopping items, while others shoplifted and concealed the items underneath their hijabs.
He added that the allegedly stolen items, were loaded into a waiting tricycle, ridden by Adamu Shettima.
He noted that the suspects were, however, intercepted by the Police patrol team.
Continued. “During preliminary investigation, all the suspects confessed to the crimes with the recovery of exhibits from them including the tricycle,” stating that the suspects, including five hand-set snatchers will be charged to court.
He, therefore, urged parents to counsel their children on the type of friends and peer groups they associate with, warning that they have negative influences on their children and ward
