By Yemi Monday
Bauchi State Police Command has announced the arrest of four suspected cult members belonging to the ‘Black Axe’ fraternity.
The Command Spokesperson, SP Ahmed Wakili, said in a statement on Friday they were arrested last Sunday on credible intelligence.
According to the statement: “Those arrested are namely; Eric Nuhu aged 23 years, a 500-level student of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi; Zaharaddeen Hassan, aged 19 years an ND1 student of Federal Polytechnic Bauchi; Felix John aged 24 years of HND1 student of Federal Polytechnic Bauchi and Daniel Masaka of Karu LGA of Nassarawa State.
“During interrogation, the first and second suspects confessed to have been invited by one of their classmates named Abbas Apeh, a 500-level student of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi and were initiated into the cultism group on 02/09/2023 around midnight.
“The third and fourth suspects confessed to have since been members of the cult group for long known as Black axe, they were invited by their group members to join the initiation event of the newcomers, which took place in an outskirt of Bauchi, opposite ATBU Gubi Campus, along Kano-Bauchi road.
“Efforts are on top gear to arrest the fleeing accomplices, after which the suspects will be charged to Court for prosecution on the established Offences accordingly.
“In a related development, the Command also arrested a two-man squad that specialises in snatching motorcycles and has been carrying out their nefarious activities for about 4 years within Bauchi and other neighbouring States.
“On 24/08/2023, about 0630hrs, one Aliyu Muhammad Gidado of old Airport road, GRA Bauchi, reported at B’ Divisional Police Headquarters Bauchi metropolis that on the same date at about 0400hrs he discovered that Bello Mohammed alias Faruk Manja aged 30 years of Bakaro area of Bauchi and Kabiru Danfulani of Muda Lawal Bauchi, now at large, Criminally conspired among themselves and trespassed into his house and stole his motor-vehicle Honda civic golden colour with reg no. MSA-350-PD valued at N640,000;00 alongside a skeletal motorcycle green colour, valued yet to be ascertained.
“On receipt of the report, a team of detectives led by DPO B’ Division, CSP Holman Simon swiftly swung into action and circulated the incident to various Police patrol teams/divisions within and outside the State.
“Subsequently, in their process to escape with the stolen vehicle along Maiduguri-Bauchi road, Police operatives drafted to Soro Division led by the DPO Soro, SP Aliyu Mohammad Goni, intercepted the motor vehicle and arrested the culprits.
“During interrogation, the first suspect voluntarily confessed to having been a motorcycle snatcher for about 4 years and approximately has stolen 20 Jincheng ruber motorcycles and carried out such menace in different areas of Bauchi and Yobe States respectively, while the second suspect is now at large.
“Preliminary Investigation has indicted one Abdulrazak Idris alias “Over’ aged 27 years of Federal low-cost area of Bauchi state, who has since been arrested, with one Shayibu Dako to be selling the stolen items and other receivers who are still at large.
“The stolen vehicle and the skeletal motorcycle have been recovered from the suspects, Investigation is in progress and Efforts are being intensified to arrest the remaining fleeing accomplices, after which the suspects will be charge to Court for the established Offences for prosecution accordingly. “