Another student of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Mike James Habila, a 400-level student, has been arrested for the alleged possession of an illegal firearm.
The police crime bulletin by the Command PPRO, SP Ahmed Wakili, stated that the suspect was arrested on 13/01/2024 at about 1400hrs when detectives attached to C’ Divisional Police Headquarters, led by SP Abubakar Naziru Pindiga (DPO), acted on credible intelligence from a vigilante group.
The student was apprehended in his residence at Gubi village via Bauchi.
According to the PPRO, preliminary investigation uncovered that the suspect had illegally possessed two different types of firearms, including one locally-made gun, one locally-made piston, and 9mm live ammunition.
The PPRO added that during interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime. His statement was recorded under caution, but he claimed that the weapons belonged to one Samson Irimiya, alias Zaddeos, who was previously arrested in possession of a locally made pistol on 24/05/2021.
Thereafter, a search warrant was executed while the investigation is in progress to unearth all related cases of firearms in Bauchi state.
In a related development, a case of criminal breach of trust, forgery, criminal misappropriation, and obtaining money under false pretense was reported at Area Command, Metro, by one Abdulrahman Muhammad Auwal of new GRA Bauchi.
The complaint was lodged in the company of six other victims, namely Nwachukwu Ezra, Linus Ikechukwu, Oriowo Toluwani, Al-Amin Maina Lawal, Ibrahim Musa Baraya, Anyim David Ogali, Ekumah Heavy Emmanuel, Abbas Abdulkadir, Muhammad Lawal, and Layegue Emmanuel.
The above-mentioned complainants individually entrusted one Timothy Oseni, aged 28 of Yelwa, Anguwan Kusu Bauchi suburbs, with their money – the sum of N663,000 – in his business café center (Crystal Clear Business Center) situated within the compound of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, Yelwa campus for their school fees registration.
Upon receipt of the complaint, a team of detectives attached to the Area Command, Metro, swung into action and arrested the culprit.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused person dishonestly and fraudulently collected the alleged amount for registration and later fraudulently used wasted registration slips, edited, and presented them as their registration slips.
During interrogation, the suspect confessed to have forged many registration slips for the unsuspecting students of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi.
Investigation is still ongoing, after which the suspect will be charged to court for the established offenses accordingly.
