The Bauchi State Police Command has apprehended four suspected armed robbers accused of terrorizing residents near the Vehicle Inspection Office (V.I.O.) along Jos Road in Bauchi metropolis.
Their arrest followed a blunder by one of the suspects, identified as Alhassan Jibrin, popularly known as Babani Biri, who accidentally left his mobile phone at the scene of a robbery.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ahmed Wakil, said the Command received a formal complaint from one Everest Jonathan, a resident of the area behind the V.I.O. office on Jos Road, Bauchi.
Jonathan reported that around 2:10 a.m., a group of five armed men invaded his home and made away with several valuable items.
The stolen items reportedly included an Android smartphone, a keypad phone, a travel bag, two pairs of sneakers, clothing, and other personal effects.
“Upon receiving the report at about 3:40 a.m., detectives led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Holman Simon, swiftly visited the scene, assessed the situation, and launched an investigation,” the statement said.
“Preliminary findings revealed that the suspect, 20 years old Alhassan Jibrin of Danjuma Goje area, abandoned his phone at the scene. This crucial evidence led to the arrest of three other suspects, namely, Lawan Adamu of Wayan Makafi area, Lawan Idris (20) of Behind Old Airport, and Muhammad Yau, also known as Madugu (22), of Behind Emir’s Palace, Bauchi.
During interrogation, the suspects confessed to conspiring and conducting several robbery operations in the same area, targeting innocent residents during late-night hours and robbing them of their valuables.
Recovered exhibits include a travelling bag, two sets of clothes, two pairs of sneakers, two sharp cutlasses, an Android phone, a keypad phone, and two torchlights, among other items.
The Police Command stated that efforts are underway to apprehend other members of the gang who remain at large.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further discreet investigation. The suspects will be profiled and charged to court upon completion of the investigation.
Wakil reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property, urging residents to promptly report any suspicious activities or movements in their communities.
