Bauchi Police Recover Emir’s Stolen Hilux, Arrest Suspect

Beatrice Gondyi in Bauchi

The Bauchi State Police Command has recovered a Toyota Hilux vehicle belonging to the Bauchi Emirate Council that was stolen within the state capital, arresting a suspect in the process.

The Command’s spokesperson, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday. He said the theft was reported on Monday by Buhari Musa Umar, a member of the Emirate Council, to a police patrol team stationed at the Jos Road roundabout in Bauchi metropolis.

According to the statement, the vehicle was parked at a fuel station when it was stolen.
Habib explained that the driver of the vehicle told police he was on an official assignment to Ganjuwa Local Government Area to deliver messages on behalf of the Emir when he stopped briefly to attend to personal needs.

“While he was away, an unknown individual entered the vehicle and drove it off to an unknown destination,” the police spokesman said.

Following the report, police operatives immediately launched a pursuit and successfully recovered the stolen Hilux around the Bayan Gari area of Bauchi. A suspect was arrested at the scene..

Habib added that the suspect confessed to committing the offence and is currently in custody, while investigations are ongoing.
“Upon the conclusion of investigations, the suspect will be properly profiled and charged to court accordingly,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has directed that newly graduated police officers from the 7th Regular Course of the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano, posted to Bauchi State, be deployed within the metropolis for their one-year probationary period.
Aliyu gave the directive on Monday while receiving the officers at the Bauchi State Police Command headquarters.

The Commissioner emphasised discipline, professionalism, and dedication to duty, noting that the probationary period is designed to expose the officers to core practical policing responsibilities.
In a separate statement, SP Habib explained that officers who successfully complete the probation would be confirmed as substantive Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP).

Aliyu further noted that posting officers to their states of origin aligns with the vision of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, aimed at strengthening community-based policing and addressing contemporary security challenges across the country.