Protests: Police arrest 97 suspects for murder and vandalism in Borno state
By Tada Juthan
The Borno State Police Command has arrested 97 suspects for murder and the vandalisation of public property worth millions of naira.
According to the command, the arrests were made during the two-day national protests in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) and Jere Local Council.
Parading the suspects on Saturday in Maiduguri, the Police Commissioner, Yusufu Lawal, disclosed that 91 units of exhibits, including seven Russian flags, bags of fertiliser, and several pieces of office furniture, were recovered from the suspects.
He noted that while the police collaborated with other security agencies, proactive measures were also taken to curtail and mitigate the breakdown of law and order.
He said the unguided miscreants, comprising youths, however, took advantage of the national protests to commit nefarious acts of vandalism and treasonable felony.
“Besides vandalising public property, some of the protesters, including underage children, attacked the state’s mechanical workshop and the office complex of the Borno State Traffic Management Agency (BOTMA) along Baga Road,” said Lawal.
On the murder case, he said, “One of the arrested suspects murdered a try-cyclist and buried his body on that fateful night in the metropolis.”
According to him, other suspects arrested included seven social media influencers for alleged monitoring of cyberspace during the protest over economic hardships in the state.
“The suspected social media influencers called on followers to carry arms and constitute violence across the state.
“They also insulted top government officials and traditional and religious leaders of the state.
“While 83 suspects were arrested at various locations within the metropolis for vandalising public and private properties with fire and looting about 91 various items along Baga Road,”
He added that the World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse and UNHRC facility were also vandalised with the carting away of food items and furniture.
“Some of the arrested suspects broke the glasses of vehicles with the burring of used tires on the major streets of Maiduguri,” he said.
The police chief, therefore, urged members of the public to report any suspicious activities in their communities to the police.
