Metro

Police arrest, parade suspects for armed robbery, rape in Gombe

The Gombe State Police Command has arrested a 55-year-old man named Bappah Bolari for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Mahid Muazu Abubakar, stated that on October 22, 2023, they received a formal complaint from Sadiya Wada of Malam Sidi, Kwami LGA, Gombe State. She complained that on October 20, 2023, at around 09:30 AM, Bappah Bolari, aged 55, who resides in the same area, took her 11-year-old daughter behind a maternity building in Malam Sidi and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her without her consent.

The PPRO noted that the case is under investigation and will soon be charged in court upon the completion of the investigation.

In a separate incident, an 18-year-old named Donal Joseph, from Wili Village, Kaltungo LGA, was alleged to have raped a girl in his neighborhood. According to the PPRO, on October 21, 2023, at approximately 7:30 PM, Danjuma Jauro reported that on the same day, at about 7:00 AM, the suspect, while escorting his daughter to his house, took advantage of and lured her to an uncompleted building, where he undressed her and had sexual intercourse with her.

Both the victim and the suspect were taken to the hospital for a medical examination. The suspect, Donal Joseph, confessed to the crime and will soon be charged in court for prosecution.

Furthermore, the Command arrested Adamu Auwal alias ‘Ahda’, aged 20, Kabiru Ibrahim alias ‘KB’, aged 25, and Usman Yahaya alias ‘Imamu’, aged 20, all from Bolari and Arawa quarters, respectively, in Gombe metropolis for the alleged offenses of criminal conspiracy and armed robbery.

On October 18, 2023, at about 2:00 AM, credible intelligence revealed that a group of hoodlums was seen congregating at a black spot in Arawa quarters, Gombe. In response to the complaint, a team of policemen attached to Operation 999 at Gombe Divisional Police Headquarters swung into action and apprehended the mentioned suspects at the scene.

Upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to conspiring with other individuals in a series of armed robberies within Gombe. A search conducted in their houses resulted in the recovery of various exhibits, including three laptop computers of different brands with their chargers, five GSM phones of different brands, two rechargeable lanterns, one school bag, one external hard disk, two USB cables, two pairs of canvas shoes, and a cash sum of N27,200.

Victims were contacted, and the suspects confessed to the crime. They will be charged in court very soon.

The Command also arrested Mohammed Auwal, aged 40, of Riyald, Bagadaza quarters, Gombe, for criminal conspiracy, theft, and being in possession of property suspected to have been stolen.

On October 17, 2023, a formal complaint was received from Aliyu Mohammed, the Manager of Mega Company (Bread and Pure water) in Tudun-wada Pantami. He reported that on October 16, 2023, the suspect successfully used his fabricated key to steal a Peugeot Wagon 406 parked in front of Mega Company.

Following the incident, on October 17, 2023, the suspect was intercepted by the Tumfure Patrol van and subsequently arrested.

Exhibits recovered from him included a Peugeot Wagon 406, two Honda keys, four fabricated keys, one razor blade, and house-breaking implements. The suspect confessed to the crime and will be charged in court for prosecution.

The Command expressed its gratitude to the press for attending the briefing and for their continued cooperation with the Gombe State Police Command. They urged the public to work together with them to ensure the safety and security of their communities.

The PPRO added, “Remember, if you see something, say something. Together, we can achieve a peaceful and secure Gombe State. For complaints, we can be reached via our Emergency Line at 08150567771 or our PCB line at 09065472923.”

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