Police arrest 36 for rituals, rape, others in Borno  

AHMED MARI, Maiduguri

The Borno State Commissioner of Police, CP Abdu Umar, has said his Command has nabbed 36 persons in connection with 18 cases, ranging from rituals, culpable homicide, rapping, vandalization, of electricity high tension, heft among other .crimes.

Briefing journalists at the Police headquarters, Maiduguri on Friday, the State Police Commissioner said those arrested included two different syndicates trying to vandalize high tension cable that brought electricity to Maiduguri and its environs, as well as the Gas plant under construction.

It would be recalled that Maiduguri, the Borno State capital and its environs have been without electricity for almost two years due to vandalization of electricity tower that brought light to the city due to alleged vandalization by insurgents and other criminals.

CP Umar said: “The details of the arrest made so far: Four cases of criminal intimidation and being in possession of dangerous weapons;  two cases  of rape; three cases of theft; two cases of culpable homicide; six cases of criminal mischief of government properties. Total no. of cases recorded =18”.

He said the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali, has approved the deployment of 518 just passed out recruits to augment the personnel of the Command and also to be used in the forthcoming general elections.

The Police commissioner further said: “On 18/01/2023 at about 0800hrs, Tujja Ali ‘M’ 18yrs; Modu Bilal ‘M’ 19yrs, suspects were arrested at Benisheikh town with 283 pieces of bolt and Nuts dismantled from a high tension electricity tower which they stole after dismantling same from a high tension electricity tower at Benisheikh axis.

“Suspects confessed to the commission of the crime. They revealed that this is their second time of committing similar crime where they sold the first stolen property to one Mele (surname unknown) at Benisheikh. Concerted efforts towards the arrest of the said Mele and the recovery of the items sold to him are being intensified.

“On 18/01/2023 at about 0800hrs, One Abdullahi Mohammed ‘M’ 22yrs’ suspect was arrested by Crack Operatives based on a tip-off while in possession of one Solar Inverter valued at two million naira suspected to be stolen. On a rigorous interview, the suspect confessed to have stolen it at a solar borehole in Njimtilo with one Musa Ajakuta (at large). The suspect at large is being trailed for arrest. All atrocities committed by the suspects are thoroughly being investigated,” the CP added.

On the case of rape, the CP said: “On the 30/12/2022 at about 0700hrs, one Madam Rhoda Hassan ‘F’ of Walama Village Shani LGA reported at Shani Police Station that, on the same date at about 1200hrs, after returning to her house, she saw one Haruna Birma ‘M’, 50yrs of the same address, who was coming out from her room.

“She suspected him and started interrogating her daughter, one Liyatu Hassan ‘F’ 13yrs and she confessed that the suspect had raped her on the 24/12/2022, 28/12/2022 and on the 30/12/2022, respectively when she traded out from the Village. The suspect was arrested and the case is under investigation.”

He said: “On the 5/01/2023 at about 0800hrs, one ASC Saleh Iliya Amos ‘M’, attached to Nigeria Correctional Service, Borno State Command reported to the Police that on the same date at about 0700hrs, he went to their family house located at Shagari locust ‘B’ Maiduguri, and ordered the tenant to vacate the house as their biological mother is coming to stay in the house; that his younger brother one Samson Iliya asked the tenant to stay in the house and he took a cutlass threatening to kill him”.

On house trespass and rape, CP Umar said: “On the 19/01/203 at about 1521hrs, this case was transferred from Gwange Police Station to the State Criminal Intelligence and investigative Department for further investigation. That on the 23/12/2022 at about 1820hrs, one Mustapha Ali ‘M’ of Ruwan Zafi area Maiduguri, reported at Gwange Police Station that, on the same date at bout 1340hrs, one Sadiq Musa ‘M’ of the same address, lured his daughter, one Zainab Mustapha Ali ‘F’ 7yrs of the same address, and took her into their neighbour’s house situated at the same address, where he had sexual intercourse with her without her consent”.

The commissioner further explained that following the report, the suspect was arrested for investigation and subsequent prosecution, stressing that the case has since been referred to Ant- Human Trafficking section while Inspector Christiana Isa was detailed for Investigation.

On culpable homicide, CP Umar further said: “On the 13/01/2023 at about 10.00hrs, one Yakubu Abubakar ‘M’ of Musari area of Maiduguri, went and reported at Ibrahim Taiwo Estate Division that on the same date at about 0900hrs, his junior brother, Mohammed Abubakar ‘M’ age 17yrs had a misunderstanding with one Abdulkarim Musa ‘M’ of the same address, where they fought among themselves.

“During the fight, Abdulkarim Musa Jacked the neck of Mohammed Abubakr ‘M’ and started beating him with his hands and using his legs to match the victim on the ground. As a result, the victim became unconscious and was rushed to the State Specialist Hospital, where he was certified dead by a Medical Doctor on duty. The suspect was arrested for investigation and subsequent prosecution. The case was accepted and referred to Culpable Homicide section SCIID”, the CP further said.

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