By Praise Afolabi
The Gombe State Police Command says it has recorded multiple breakthroughs in its ongoing clampdown on criminal activities across the state, with arrests made for offences ranging from illegal possession of firearms to cattle rustling.
The command, led by Commissioner of Police Bello Yahaya, announced on Monday that detectives acting on intelligence arrested three young men on September 19 for being in possession of a prohibited pistol. The suspects – identified as 22-year-old Shamsudeen Haruna, 20-year-old Tahir Ismail Ahmad, and 18-year-old Muhammed Abdullahi – were intercepted in Gombe’s Doma area. The case is under investigation.
In a separate incident, four men were arrested along Bauchi Road in Gombe Local Government Area on September 18 after being found with 226 pieces of iron rods suspected to have been stolen. The suspects – aged between 26 and 47 – reportedly confessed to the theft and are in custody pending prosecution.
The police also announced the arrest of a 32-year-old man, Tukur Mohammed of Kalshingi Village, who was caught riding a stolen red Boxer motorcycle without registration plates in the Bomala area of Akko LGA. He confessed to stealing the bike alongside an accomplice who is currently on the run.
Similarly, on September 17, operatives intercepted another stolen motorcycle in Kembo Matinja Village. One of the suspects, 18-year-old Abubakar Auwal, was arrested after his accomplice escaped. Police said the suspect admitted to conspiring in the theft.
In another case, cattle thieves were forced to abandon their loot after a police patrol team traced footprints from Talasse District to Bangu Village. Officers discovered a white Hummer bus believed to have been used in the operation, along with ropes and feed. Two stolen cows were later recovered from nearby bushes and handed back to their owners.
Commissioner Yahaya commended his officers for what he described as “vigilance and professionalism,” urging residents to continue supporting law enforcement with credible information.
Police spokesperson DSP Buhari Abdullahi said investigations are ongoing in all the cases, and further updates will be provided.
