From Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The Taraba State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of four suspects alleged to have been terrorising students and other residents of ATC, around the Taraba State University environment.
Students had been attacked and robbed with some sustaining knife injuries in recent weeks, with rising cases of burglary and snatching of phones and general harassment by hoodlums.
Police spokesman in the state, SP Abdullahi Usman, who confirmed the arrests in a statement issued yesterday, in Jalingo, said phones, electronics and other items were recovered from the suspects who confessed to the crimes and have provided useful information to aid investigations.
“Yesterday, at about 0900hrs, operatives of Kofai Police Station, attached to Sunkani Division Ardo-Kola LGA, succeeded in breaking the syndicate of some miscreants and arresting suspects, who have been terrorising and robbing students and the community around Taraba State University, Jalingo. They include Joseph Desmond ‘m’ (aka Dan-Bachama) of Rugange village, Numan LGA, Adamawa State, Swaibu Sambu ‘m’ (aka Dan-Kona) of Kofai village, Ardo Kola LGA Taraba State, Danladi Ibrahim ‘m’ of Karim Kamido LGA Taraba State, and Douglas John ‘m’ of Hong LGA Adamawa State.
“The suspects, upon arrest, have confessed to the crime, and they are giving useful information to the police that will lead to the arrest of their cohorts now at large.”
The command has also confirmed the kidnapping of two people along the Mararaban Apawa-Zing road, contrary to social media reports that hundreds of people were kidnapped.
Usman said: “On October 7, 2023, at about 0955hrs, the Taraba State Police Command received information that there were sporadic gunshots along Mararraban Yorro, Zing Jalingo road by unknown gunmen. The command’s CP, on receipt of the information, deployed the operatives of a special task force based at the command’s headquarters to the area. Upon arrival, it was discovered that hoodlums suspected to be armed robbers/kidnappers blocked the road, and were shooting sporadically.
“The operatives engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel. However, two people were confirmed to be abducted and some unspecified valuables belonging to the commuters returning from Pupule and Monkin markets, respectively, were carted away by the hoodlums.
“The Commissioner of Police, Taraba State, Yusuf A. Suleiman, enjoins members of the public to disregard the trending reports on social media as misleading, mischievous, and misinforming. While the command is working assiduously to rescue the kidnapped victims unharmed and possibly arrest the culprits, the CP further assures Tarabans that the command will always remain resolute in its efforts to assuage the citizens from the menace of crime and criminality in the state,” the statement read in parts.