Yobe Police Arrest Five Over Alleged Electricity Vandalism, Fraud

By Njadvara Musa, Damaturu

The Yobe State Police Command has arrested five suspects in separate operations linked to the alleged vandalism of electricity infrastructure and fraud in Fika and Tarmuwa Local Government Areas of the state.

Police spokesperson, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, disclosed the arrests in a statement issued on Thursday in Damaturu, saying the operations were part of ongoing efforts to tackle criminal activities across the state.

According to him, operatives attached to the ‘A’ Division in Damaturu apprehended two suspects over the alleged fraudulent acquisition of food items from a shop along the Ajari–Gashua Road.

Mr Abdulkarim explained that the incident occurred on 31 July when an accomplice allegedly impersonated the complainant during a telephone conversation and deceitfully obtained a carton of OBA spaghetti and two half bags of parboiled rice.

He said detectives launched an investigation immediately after the case was reported, leading to the arrest of the suspects, who reside in the Zanna Zakarya and Waziri Ibrahim housing estates in Damaturu.

“The suspects admitted their involvement during interrogation, while the stolen food items were recovered and registered as exhibits,” he said.

The police spokesperson added that investigations were continuing to identify and arrest other persons connected with the alleged fraud before prosecution.

In a separate operation, Mr Abdulkarim said officers from the Fika Divisional Police Headquarters responded to a distress call on Thursday morning following reports that unknown persons had vandalised a community electricity transformer and stolen its power cable.

He said police personnel, working alongside local vigilantes and community members, tracked down a 23-year-old suspect who was allegedly found in possession of the stolen cable.

According to him, the suspect confessed to the offence, leading investigators to arrest two additional suspects believed to be connected to the crime.

“The stolen transformer cable has been recovered, while investigations are ongoing to uncover the full network behind the vandalism and ensure everyone involved is brought to justice,” he said.

The command also confirmed the arrest of a suspect in connection with an alleged assault in Tarmuwa Local Government Area.

Mr Abdulkarim said preliminary findings indicated that the suspect allegedly confronted another man after discovering him in what he described as a compromising situation with his wife near her parents’ residence in Danewa-Biriri village.

He alleged that the confrontation escalated, with the suspect shooting the victim with a bow and arrow, causing serious injuries.

The victim is currently receiving treatment at the Police Hospital in Damaturu, while the suspect remains in police custody pending the conclusion of investigations.

The spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police, Usman Kanfani Jibrin, urged residents to remain peaceful and always seek lawful means of resolving disputes instead of resorting to violence or taking the law into their own hands.

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.