The Gombe State PoliceGombe Police Nab Fake Vigilante Recruiter, Armed Robbery Suspects, Recover Stolen Vehicle Command says it has recorded significant breakthroughs in its fight against crime, with the arrest of notorious suspects, recovery of exhibits, and the retrieval of a stolen vehicle.
Parading the suspects on Friday, the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said operatives arrested one Abdullahi Mohammed (32) of Liji Quarters, Yamaltu/Deba LGA, who allegedly specialised in recruiting teenagers, equipping them with fake vigilante identity cards and uniforms, and sending them out to rob unsuspecting residents.
Two of his alleged recruits — Alkasim Mohammed a.k.a. Babanta (18) and Faruk Umar (18) — were also apprehended.
Items recovered from the suspect’s shop included:
Four mobile phones
Six vigilante ID cards
Four ATM cards
A police T-shirt and two police belts
A power bank
Handcuffs and knives
Passports belonging to different persons
A motorcycle plate number
DSP Abdullahi said the suspects confessed during interrogation, adding that investigations revealed that Mohammed had been running the fake vigilante recruitment scheme for criminal activities. He urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements in their communities.
In a separate case, the police arrested Lukman Auwal of City Store, Bauchi State, over an armed robbery incident in Kashere, Akko LGA.
On September 12, 2025, Auwal and his accomplices — Al’amin Bala, Abba Mohammed, and Aliyu Manto (still at large) — allegedly invaded a residence at Jauro Bose Quarters, Kashere. Armed with cutlasses and knives, they broke doors, assaulted occupants, and carted away seven mobile phones worth ₦729,000, four power banks worth ₦75,000, and ₦90,000 cash. A knife was recovered from Auwal, who has since confessed, while efforts are ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects.
In another breakthrough, the Command recovered a stolen Toyota Sienna (light gold, new model) reported missing from the Gombe Old Market on August 5, 2025. The first suspect, Ibrahim Zubairu a.k.a. Dan Makka of Tudun Wada, Pantami Quarters, was arrested in Bauchi State with the vehicle and fabricated keys in his possession. He has named his syndicate members, who remain on the run.
DSP Abdullahi reiterated the Command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property.
> “We assure members of the public of our unwavering dedication to ensuring safety across the state. We call on residents to continue providing useful information that will aid the police in crime prevention and control,” he said.
Earlier on Friday, PUNCH Online reported other police successes in Gombe, including the rescue of two abandoned infants and the arrest of two teenagers for alleged rape. A three-month-old baby was rescued on September 15, 2025, after her mother, Fatima Abdullahi (20) of Damaturu, Yobe State, allegedly gave her away in connivance with Adama Ibrahim. The child was handed to one Fatima Haruna of Liji Quarters, Gombe, who fled with the baby before being tracked.
