The Bauchi State Police Command said it has arrested 48 protesters and 16 suspected robbers, following unrest that resulted from the protest by students of Federal Polytechnic Bauchi.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, the command received intelligence of a security breach by unidentified suspected hoodlums who trespassed into the institution through the fenced wall and forcefully took the students’ phones.
Wakil said that “during the skirmishes, some of the students confronted the hoodlums, which resulted in various degrees of injuries to the students.
“On receipt of the report, teams of detectives attached to E’ Division, immediately dispatched to the scene, and conveyed the victims to the institution’s clinic for first aid. Whereas, the student disclosed their grievances and complaints about the paucity of private security guards owned by the institution, inadequate facilities in the polytechnic clinic, and other welfare issues, in which the deputy rector and the registrar addressed the student on their demands amicably.”
He added that soon after, the students became irritated and blocked the Bauchi/Tafawa Balewa – Dass highway, involving burning tires and hauling stones at innocent commuters and looting shops around.
“The Command immediately drafted a reinforcement team and dispatched it to the scene and attempted to disperse the illegal crowd, which encountered resistance, resulting in the application of minimal force, and successfully controlled the situation and arrested thirty-six (36) male suspects and twelve (12) female suspects who were directly and absolutely involved in the violent act.
“In a recent development, the Command conducted a preliminary investigation, which resulted in identifying and arresting three (3) suspects who were strongly suspected of being responsible for the armed robbery attack on the student lodge.
“A team of operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) CSP Yahaya Yunusa acted swiftly following a tip-off and arrested the following three (3) suspects, namely; Mansur Yakubu ‘m’ aged 20yrs aka Chasu, Abbas Auwal ‘m aged 20 year, and Musa Bala ‘m’20yrs AKA Baban Nani.
“All of Lushi area within Bauchi metropolis and confessed to having conspired with Kalifa aka Dan Boda ‘m’ of Birshi Gandu, Dady ‘m’ of birshin Fulani, Soja ‘m’ of Birshin Fulani, Baki ‘m’ of Birshin Fulani, Sunusi aka Ba Sulhu of Birshin Gandu, Yellow, Mansur Yakubu, Mardi, Bello, R-kelly, Muktazu, Sani aka Janwuya, and Aikin Allah of Birshi Gandu, Birshin Fulani, Lushi, respectively and others remain anonymous.”
The PPRO stated that during interrogation, the suspects disclosed that they criminally conspired among themselves, invaded the student hostels situated within the premises of Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, threatened and forcefully dispossessed the students of their valuables, particularly phones and laptops, and inflicted various degrees of injuries on some of the students who attempted to challenge them.
He said the prime suspects (Musa Bala) confessed to having been invited by one Daddy, a resident of Birshin Fulani, also referred to as the mastermind/crime organiser, to carry out the act specifically in the student’s hostels as the point of interest where they were gathered at Birshin Fulani before taking off to the student hostels.
“Added that he was an ex-convict on the same offence for which he served a 2-year jail term previously, and he was just released from the correctional centre not later than three (3) months ago, “he said.
The PPRO revealed that the Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department to discreetly investigate the circumstances responsible for this tragic nuisance act by the students.
“The CP also ordered the release of the female students, while the remaining male students will be profiled/screened. Those who have not been involved will subsequently be released on bail, while others in connection with this violent act will be arraigned in court.”