By Vicky Attah, Correspondent
The Adamawa State Police Command says it has recorded significant gains in its ongoing crackdown on crime, with the arrest of 10 suspects, the recovery of two stolen vehicles and the foiling of a terrorist attack in separate operations conducted across the state within one week.
The command said the operations, carried out between July 19 and 25, were driven by intelligence gathering, routine patrols and close collaboration with other security agencies.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, one of the major breakthroughs was the arrest of Abubakar Musa over the alleged killing of Nathaniel Yusuf in Yola North Local Government Area. He said the victim was rescued and rushed to hospital but later died while receiving treatment. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and prosecution.
Nguroje also said that operatives of the State Intelligence Department tracked and arrested a 26-year-old suspect in Kano State, recovering a stolen 2016 Toyota Corolla Sport valued at about ₦18 million during the operation.
He added that personnel of the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering, in collaboration with the IGP X-Squad, dismantled a pipeline vandalism syndicate operating in Adamawa. The operation led to the arrest of suspects and the recovery of 285 vandalised NNPC pipelines, six gas cylinders, a J5 bus, digging implements and other items linked to the illegal activity.
The police spokesman further said operatives attached to the SCID recovered another stolen vehicle in Yola during routine surveillance and arrested the prime suspect.
He said a joint security team comprising the Police, the Nigerian Army’s 144 Battalion and the Civilian Joint Task Force also repelled a terrorist attack on Garaha Village in Hong Local Government Area. According to him, the attackers fled after abandoning one offensive weapon, while security personnel have sustained operations in the area to prevent further attacks.
Beyond enforcement operations, the command intensified its crime prevention efforts through the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), during which students of Government Secondary School, Doubeli, were sensitised on the dangers of drug abuse, cultism, Shilla gangsterism, cybercrime, bullying and other social vices.
Commending officers and men of the command for their professionalism and gallantry, the Commissioner of Police, CP Kabiru Umar Hassan, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property through intelligence-led policing and stronger collaboration with members of the public.
The commissioner also hosted the leadership of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) on a courtesy visit aimed at enhancing intelligence sharing and strengthening community policing across the state.
