Police arrest eight suspected street thugs in Bauchi crackdown

Operatives of the Bauchi State Police Command have arrested eight suspected street thugs in separate operations across the Bauchi metropolis as part of ongoing efforts to curb violent crime and maintain public order, Arewa PUNCH reports. The arrests were made by operatives of the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit following a clash between rival groups of suspected thugs in parts of the state capital. The command’s spokesperson, SP Ahmed Wakil, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying the breakthrough followed intelligence reports of a violent confrontation involving armed youths. According to him, the incident occurred on May 29 when rival groups from Sabuwar Kasuwa Railway and Sabuwar Titi communities allegedly engaged in a clash near the Fadan Bayam area of Jahun. Wakil said, “On May 29, 2026, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, while on routine patrol in the Jahun area, received credible intelligence that rival thugs from Sabuwar Kasuwa Railway and Sabuwar Titi, armed with sticks and cutlasses, had engaged in a clash and blocked the main road near the Fadan Bayam area of Jahun. “The VCRU team swiftly responded to the scene, dispersed the hoodlums using teargas, and restored normalcy. In the process, one Abdulaziz Hashim, 16, of Sabuwar Kasuwa Railway, was arrested in possession of a cutlass.” The police spokesman said sustained investigations led to the arrest of seven additional suspects linked to the disturbance on May 31. Related News Ondo man beats sexagenarian father to death during dispute Seven killed, 50 huts razed in Bauchi farmers–herders clash Police arrest three over Rivers driver’s murder, exhume body The suspects were identified as Mohammed Abubakar, 21; Ibrahim Almustafa, 15; Ahmad Rufai, 14; Umar Isiyaka, 16; Habir Umar, 18; Aliyu Babangida, 15, all residents of Sabuwar Kasuwa; and Usman Aliyu of Unguwan Jaja. Wakil stated that all the suspects had been interrogated and subsequently charged in court, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the group. He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, commended the operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit for their swift response and professionalism in handling the situation. According to the statement, the commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to dismantling criminal gangs and ensuring the safety of residents across the state. Aliyu also urged parents and guardians to caution their children and wards against involvement in thuggery and other violent activities capable of threatening public peace and