By Christopher Ameh, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested two suspects in Alkaleri Local Government Area over alleged possession of rustled cattle and an attempt to bribe police officers with N400,000 to compromise the investigation.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement, saying operatives recovered three of the rustled cattle and intercepted the alleged bribe money.
According to him, the incident followed a report lodged on August 6, 2026, by two residents of Yalo Village, who alleged that unknown gunmen had rustled 103 cattle belonging to them from the Yankari Forest in July.
Habib said police operatives subsequently traced the movement of the cattle to Mararaban Liman Katagum, where the victims identified three of the missing animals.
He said, following a tip-off and assistance from a traditional ruler, the police arrested two suspects on August 7.
The suspects were identified as Abdullahi Adamu, 26, of Jarmai Village, Dangi Local Government Area of Plateau State, and Muktashir Idris, 20, also of Jarmai Village.
During interrogation, Idris allegedly told the police that his master, identified as Alaba, had sent him to the market to sell the stolen cattle.
The PPRO said the investigation took another turn when a brother of one of the victims informed detectives that Alaba had allegedly sent N400,000 to compromise the case and stop the police investigation.
According to him, the brother had earlier offered to assist security agents in luring and arresting the prime suspect but was unsuccessful.
Police operatives, however, intercepted and recovered the N400,000, which has been registered as an exhibit.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
The command said its operatives were intensifying efforts to arrest Alaba, while the two suspects in custody would be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.
Aliyu urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements of livestock and other criminal activities to the nearest police station.
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