Police Foil Kidnap Attempt, Rescue Four Teenage Girls in Yobe

By Njadvara Musa, Damaturu

The Yobe State Police Command has thwarted an attempted kidnapping in Fika Local Government Area, rescuing four teenage girls who were attacked while returning from their farms along the Fika–Bajoga Road.

The police said the victims, aged between 15 and 17, were rescued unharmed after a swift response by security operatives and local vigilantes.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Damaturu, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, said the successful operation underscores the command’s ongoing efforts to combat criminal activities across the state.

According to him, the incident occurred on Sunday, June 28, at about 2:23 p.m., when the Fika Divisional Police Headquarters received a distress call that unidentified armed men had attacked and abducted four young girls at Didim Village in Fika Local Government Area.

Mr Abdulkarim said police officers attached to the Kukar Gadu Outstation immediately mobilised alongside members of the local vigilante group to pursue the suspects. Additional reinforcements from the Fika Division were also deployed to the area.

“The coordinated rescue operation led to the successful recovery of all four victims without any injuries,” he said.

Following their rescue, the girls were taken to the Kukar Gadu Primary Health Care Centre, where they received medical attention and other necessary support before they were reunited with their families.

The police spokesperson said efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects, describing them as members of a criminal syndicate operating in the area.

He added that the Commissioner of Police in Yobe State, CP Usman Kanfani Jibrin, had directed sustained, intelligence-driven operations to ensure the perpetrators are apprehended and prosecuted.

The commissioner also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the state, while appealing to residents to remain vigilant and support security agencies with credible and timely information on suspicious individuals, movements, or vehicles.

The latest rescue comes amid intensified security operations by the Yobe State Police Command aimed at curbing kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.

Buni Names Yerima Ibn Mahmud New Emir of Ngazargamu

By Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri

Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State has approved the appointment of Alhaji Yerima Ibn Mahmud as the new Emir of Ngazargamu, barely 24 hours after the burial of the late Emir, Alhaji Tijjani Ibn Saleh Geidam.

Dr Mohammed Goje, the acting secretary to the state government, announced the appointment in a statement issued on Friday.

Alhaji Yerima succeeds the late monarch, who died in Cairo, Egypt, following a prolonged illness. The late emir was laid to rest at Damaturu on Thursday, amid a large gathering of dignitaries, traditional rulers, government officials, and mourners from across the state.

The Ngazargamu Emirate was established during the administration of former Governor Bukar Abba Ibrahim and has remained one of Yobe State’s prominent traditional institutions.

Before his elevation to the throne, Alhaji Yerima Ibn Mahmud served as the Turakin Ngazargamu for 16 years. He is widely known for his contributions to public service, having represented his constituency in the Yobe State House of Assembly and held several key positions in government.

He also served as a member of the Yobe State Executive Council and Commissioner for Livestock Development, where he helped shape policies aimed at improving the livestock sector and rural economy.

Congratulating the new emir and the people of the Ngazargamu Chiefdom, Governor Buni expressed confidence in the monarch’s capacity to provide visionary leadership and strengthen unity within the emirate.

The governor urged the new traditional ruler to draw on his vast administrative and leadership experience to promote peace, harmonious coexistence and sustainable socioeconomic development across the emirate.

He also called on the residents of Ngazargamu to rally behind the new emir and support his efforts to advance peace, stability, and prosperity in the chiefdom.

The appointment marks the beginning of a new chapter for the historic emirate as it seeks to build on the legacy of its late ruler while advancing development and cohesion among its people.

Yobe Police Smash Drug Network, Arrest Eight Suspects in Coordinated Crackdown

By Njadvara Musa, Damaturu

Yobe State Police Command has arrested eight suspects for alleged drug-related offences and recovered dangerous weapons during a series of coordinated security operations across the state.

The arrests followed sustained crime-prevention efforts involving intensified patrols, raids on criminal hideouts and black spots, stop-and-search operations, and intelligence-led policing designed to curb rising criminal activities.

According to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) has already recorded significant operational success barely two weeks after its inauguration, leading to the arrest of eight suspected drug peddlers and violent crime suspects.

He explained that on June 9, 2026, at about 6:00 p.m., operatives of the VCRU, acting on credible intelligence, stormed the notorious New Marte Ghetto area in Damaturu in a coordinated raid.

During the operation, two main suspects were caught: Usman Hassan, known as “Bapani”, who is 20 years old and was found with a large amount of suspected Indian hemp and exam papers that likely belong to Yobe State University students; and Bukar Sale, also called “Benzima”, who is 18 and was discovered with suspected Indian hemp, a cutlass, and other illegal drugs.

Others arrested include Adamu (18), Hassan Abdullahi (20), Ibrahim Ibrahim alias “Bomboy” (20), Usman Sale alias “Ado Gonja” (21), Mohammed Salisu alias “RP Damboa” (25), and Bako Mohammed alias “Balande” (18). All the suspects are residents of Pompomari Sabon Kwalta in Damaturu.

The raid recovered items including suspected Indian hemp, other illicit substances, a cutlass, a knife, and materials believed to be linked to criminal activities. Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine the suspects’ level of involvement and to track possible accomplices.

The Commissioner of Police, Usman Kanfani Jibrin, reaffirmed the command’s zero-tolerance policy on drug abuse, violent crimes, thuggery, hooliganism, and related offences. He warned youths against engaging in criminal activities and urged parents, community leaders, and stakeholders to intensify their efforts to guide young people and report any suspicious behaviour to security agencies.

The Yobe State Police Command stated that they will prosecute all suspects after completing investigations in Damaturu.