15 suspects arrested in Bauchi for allegedly burning down primary school 

Fifteen suspected arsonists who allegedly set fire and burnt down the Primary School located in Kandahar area of Bauchi metropolis have been arrested by the State Police Command.

The arrest of the suspects has restored normalcy to the area following the tension created by the clash between the two youths groups in the area which created apprehension among the people of the area. 

The Police Command through the PPRO, SP Ahmed Wakili stated in a release made available to Journalists in Bauchi on Sunday, that, “On 18 December 2024, at about 08:30 hours, Detectives from the ‘A’ Police Divisional Police Headquarters received a distress call from a good Samaritan regarding a group of youths engaging in violent behaviour in the Kandahar area of Bauchi metropolis.” 

The Samaritan reported that, “This group attacked innocent civilians and targeted the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) office located near Kandahar Primary School.” 

He added that, “The assailants set fire to the Civilian JTF office and a portion of the State Government Primary School. During this unrest, members of the Civilian JTF confronted the attackers, resulting in one of the assailants, identified as Saidu Musa aged 22, sustaining a gunshot wound to the chest from a locally-made firearm.”

Wakili added that, “In response to the situation, a team of police operatives was promptly dispatched to the scene. They successfully de-escalated the conflict and evacuated Saidu Musa to the Specialist Hospital for medical treatment.” 

He disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated that on 18 December, 2024, at 21:20 hours, the Civilian JTF encountered a group of restive youths in the Kandahar area.

Following the encounter, on 19th December 2024, the disgruntled youths regrouped and initiated a violent attack against the Civilian JTF office and the government primary school, inflicting damage and causing distress among innocent citizens.

However, with the swift response of Police operatives, the situation has now been brought under control, additionally, Fifteen suspects have been arrested in connection with this incident, and investigations are currently ongoing.

Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Musa Mohammed, has condemned these acts against government facilities and urged the citizens of Bauchi State to refrain from taking the laws into their own hands and to report any concerns to the relevant authorities. 

Moreover, he has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department to undertake a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding this dastardly act.

By Yemi Kanji, Bauchi  

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