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

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.