Police arrest 13 suspected criminals in Borno

The Borno police command on Wednesday said it arrested 13 suspected criminals who “terrorise” bank customers in the state.

Damian Chukwu, commissioner of police, said this at a press conference at the command headquarters in Maiduguri.

Chukwu said that some suspected criminals, who specialise in stealing phones and robbing commercial tricycle operators, were arrested at different locations in the state capital on March 7.

He said all the suspects confessed to the crime, and that investigation was in progress.

“At about 1030hours following a report received from a member of the public, that a gang of criminals in a Toyota Highlander with registration number ABJ 734 RY trailed him to Chad Basin Quarters along Gamborun Ngala road; broke into his Toyota Corolla, stole his money amounting to sum of N700,000 and zoomed off,” Chukwu said.

“The operation paid off when the vehicle and one of the occupants was sighted. In discovery that the game was up, the suspects recklessly sped up causing damages to many vehicle on the highway all in a quest to evade arrest.

“He was however given a hot chase by the police and when it became glaring that he will escape due to the calibre of the vehicle, the suspect’s vehicle was shot at in an attempt to demobilise the tyres. The suspect’s later shuttled between Kaduna and Kano, was shot and arrested. He confessed to the crime and admitted stealing the money.

“Similarly, at about 0600hours one Muhammad Ibrahim and two other who are notorious syndicates of the theft of tricycle were nabbed by men of the command at Dallas ward. Also, one Saleh Audu of Mairi Kuwait was arrested by detectives of F-SARS after stealing a tricycle parked in front of the victim’s house. The stolen tricycle was recovered.

“On 21 2, 2017 at about 1130 hours, one Murtala Ali of Bulabulin ward Maiduguri, who specialised in loosing and stealing vehicle tyres and tricycle was arrested  after vandalising a tricycle belonging to a victim(name withheld).

“We also arrested notorious house-and-store breakers named Haruna Ibrahim, Adamu Ibrahim and Saminu Garba at Abuja Sheraton in Maiduguri. One Samsung flat screen television, one Ecolax box containing seven kaftan clothes, 10 native caps,and one HP laptop were recovered from him.”

Chukwu added that all the suspects would be prosecuted at the end of investigation.