BY: ABDULKADIR M LAWAN, SEPTEMBER 11, 2026/ 08:18PM
The Borno State Police Command has arrested three suspected handset snatchers and recovered six mobile phones and one Keke Napep allegedly used in the commission of the crime.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the command's spokesman, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, the arrests were made on 10 September 2026 at about 10:00am around Baga Road area, Maiduguri.
ASP Daso said operatives of the command, in collaboration with the Borno State Traffic Management Agency, BOTMA, and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, acted on credible intelligence to apprehend the suspects.
He said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects allegedly used the Keke Napep to target unsuspecting passengers, snatch their mobile phones, and flee the scene.
The suspects in custody were identified as Muhammed Ali, 19 years, Alhaji Ahmed, 20 years, and Umar Alhassan, 23 years.
Six mobile handsets and the Keke NAPEP allegedly used in the operation have been recovered and are currently in police custody.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, commended the personnel and partner agencies involved in the operation.
He reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting residents and combating street-level criminality across the State.
ASP Daso added that investigation is ongoing to establish the full extent of the suspects’ activities and to identify possible receivers or other persons connected to the alleged offences.
The command urged members of the public to remain vigilant, particularly when commuting, and to promptly report suspicious activities or incidents to the police and other appropriate security agencies.