Bauchi Police Command recover N31m, record 414 criminal cases, arrest 673 suspects in 2023 operations 

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Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Auwal Musa Mohammed addressing journalists 

By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi 

Bauchi State Police Command has disclosed that through its various operations in the year 2023, it was able to recover the sum of N31million just properties worth N62,890,000.00 were lost to various criminal activities. 

The disclosure was made by the State Police Command through the Commissioner, Auwal Musa Mohammed during a press briefing held on Saturday at the Command Headquarters in Bauchi. 

He also said that the Command was able to record a total of 414 criminal cases while and a total of 673 suspected criminals were arrested in connection with the cases between January and December 2023. 

Mohammed was taking a stock of some of the notable breakthroughs of the  Command under his leadership in 2023. 

According to him, the Command achieved the feat through sustained operations, dedication, and commitment to secure the State and create a strong security sustainability framework. 

He explained that, “Out of this figure, 406 cases alongside 672 suspects were charged to court for prosecution, 41 cases alongside 59  suspects were successfully convicted, 365 cases 613 suspects are standing trial while 8 cases are still under investigation.

The CP added that the synopses of the cases included 56 cases of armed robbery recorded with 106 suspects arrested in connection with the cases while 57 cases of culpable homicide with 118 suspects arrested in connection to the cases. 

However, 57 victims were killed in connection with the Culpable Homicide cases,17 cases of attempted culpable homicide with 23 suspects arrested in connection with the cases and 17 victims were injured.

Also, 73 cases of rape and indecent assault were recorded with 86 suspects arrested in connection with the cases and 31 victims were injured just as 36 cases of kidnapping with 85 suspects arrested in connection with the cases. 

Still during the period under review, 3 unnatural offences occurred with 3 suspects arrested in connection with the cases just as 13 cases of theft/other stealing alongside 26 suspects were arrested in connection with the cases in which 5 cases were prosecuted and the suspects convicted while 8 cases are standing trial. 

Furthermore, 72 cases of obtaining money/property and pretence/cheating were recorded alongside 81 suspects arrested in which 15 cases were successfully convicted and the remaining 50 cases are awaiting trial while 7 cases are still under investigation. 

He added that 12 cases of receiving stolen properties alongside 19 suspects were arrested of which 4 cases were convicted and the remaining eight are awaiting trial while 2 cases of illegal possession were recorded alongside 4 suspects arrested in connection with the cases. 

Also, 5 cases of mischief by fire were recorded and arrested 11 suspects in connection with the cases just as 1 case of forgery of counterfeit notes was recorded and arrested 1 suspect arrested in connection with the case. 

The CP also disclosed that 4 cases of breach of public peace were recorded with 14 suspects arrested in connection with the cases while 32 cases of other offences against persons were recorded with 42 suspects arrested in connection with the cases.

According to him, 16 cases of other offences against property were recorded with 25 suspects arrested in connection with the cases while seven 7 cases of offences against firearms were recorded with 15 suspects arrested in connection with the cases.

He also said that, “Consequently, the Command, as part of its efforts to carry out its statutory duties of enforcing law and order to have a crime-free environment in the State over the last year, an estimated value of properties lost, stolen, or damaged amounted to the sum of N62,890,000.00 while the estimated value of properties recovered by the Command was N31,110,000.00.

Also, the exhibits recovered included two  Keke NAPEP; five boxer motorcycles; eight vehicles; sixteen fabricated AK 47 riffle; twenty Danes guns; seventy cows; sixty sheep and 317 live ammunition caliber of AK-47 riffles.

The CP added that, “However, the Command wish to delineate that, during several daring operations, rescued the total number of 127 kidnapped victims from the kidnappers’ enclaves, dismantled so many suspected kidnappers’ hideouts and neutralized 20 of them as a result of gun duel.

“Furthermore, the Command is highly delighted to put the record straight that some of the prominent cases recorded, including a case of suspected ritualist where the Command arrested two suspects namely; Abdulkadir Wada Haladu, 19 years of Chikamidari area of Jama’are LGA Bauchi State and Adamu Abdulra’uf  aged 20 of same address, who cut off complete Vulva; (labia majora, labia minora, and clitoris) of an infant. After a thorough investigation by the Command, the Two accused persons were charged to court for prosecution, and they were convicted and sentenced to 35 years imprisonment each without an option of a fine,” the CP emphasised. 

According to him,”In another development, the Command also succeeded in convicting a case of Rape, where one Yusuf Bako raped a minor girl in a mosque within Bauchi metropolitan. He was profiled and charged to court where he was sentenced to life imprisonment on 27 November 2023.” 

He had earlier started saying, “To begin with, we thank Almighty Allah Who in His wisdom and infinite mercy borrowed us days to be alive today and serving humanity by ensuring the safety and security of lives and property through robust synergy with other sister security agencies – military and para-military, quasi-security groups and other relevant stakeholders in the state.”

He also said that,”It is our collective efforts and desire towards the attainment of a relatively peaceful atmosphere in the State that brought us thus far.”

According to him, “I am indeed delighted to welcome you to this press briefing which provides us with an opportunity to inform members of the public on the sustained efforts and unwavering commitment of the Bauchi State Police Command towards the actualization of a crime-free society in the last one year, where the unsavoury activities of criminal merchants desperate to make a living at the expense of the law-abiding citizens of the State has been tackled and halted. Hence, the peaceful atmosphere being enjoined in the state.”

The CP stressed that,” Bauchi State as you already know shares a boundary with Jigawa and Kano States in the north, Gombe and Taraba States in the east, Yobe in the North – East and Kaduna and Plateau States in the south.

“Therefore, because of Bauchi’s proximity with some of these states which have their fair share of security challenges, suspected criminals armed with varied weapons fleeing onslaught in some of the frontline states, attempted to unleash kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry, cattle rustling, rape and other manifestation of crimes here and this resulted in the occurrence of such incidences here, though to a very minimal degree,” he added. 

Mohammed then commended the State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed for the support accorded the Command saying, “He is a true security-conscious governor who is doing all it takes to provide an enabling playing field for us to maintain law and order in the state.”

He also said that, “Similarly, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun Ph.D. MPM provided us with the moral and strategic support required for meticulous pragmatic policing to secure the lives and property of citizens.” 

The Command then reassured of its readiness to remain true to support the efforts of the IGP for a secured and peaceful nation saying,”And, to AIG Zone 12, we say thank you.”

Members of the public are urged to support the crime-free-state mission of Command by refraining from any inhumane acts and also reporting any suspicious person(s) to the authority in the interest of Justice. 

“It is pertinent to emphasize here that the aforementioned successes were made possible through intelligence availed to the Police from members of the public, who as partners in progress with the Nigeria Police, share our desires and aspirations to enable a safe and secure environment for all citizens of the state. We must commend you for this and urge you to sustain the tempo. ‘Security is every man’s business,’ they say,”he added. 

He stressed that the Command has put in place crime preventive measures which include visibility policing, community partnership, constant raids of black sports, regular foot, and vehicular patrols, surveillance on buildings and vulnerable areas, stop and search operations, and intelligence-led policing through a partnership with sister security agencies and other non-governmental organizations to nip in the bud, all forms of crime, criminals and their hideouts in the state to ensure a hitch-free new year celebrations.