Police Arrest Two Suspected Security Impersonators in Bauchi

Police Arrest Two Suspected Security Impersonators in Bauchi

From Paul Orude Bauchi

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested two suspected security impersonators in separate operations within Bauchi metropolis, as part of its ongoing crackdown on criminal elements posing as law enforcement personnel.

In the latest incident, operatives of the Command’s Violent Crimes Response Unit (VCRU) arrested a 40-year-old man, Mustapha Yahaya of Ran Road, Bauchi, for allegedly impersonating a personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS).

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Nafiu Habib, a superintendent of Police (SP),  Yahaya was intercepted at about 1:00 a.m. on July 27, 2026, during a routine patrol along Bayan Gari in Bauchi metropolis.

The police spokesperson said the suspect claimed to be an operative of the DSS Bauchi State Command, but further investigation revealed that the claim was false and that he is not a member of the agency.

He said the suspect is currently undergoing further interrogation and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.

In a related development, the Command also arrested 25-year-old Haruna Abdulaziz of Wuntin Dada for allegedly impersonating security personnel and extorting residents within Bauchi metropolis.

Habib said Abdulaziz was arrested following a distress call received on July 23, 2026, after the manager of Royal Zee Bar, located behind Gwallameji Primary School, reported that a man claiming to be an operative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was being assaulted by an angry mob.

He said a patrol team from the ‘E’ Division in Yelwa was immediately deployed to the scene, where officers rescued the suspect from the mob and took him into custody for investigation.

During interrogation, police linked Abdulaziz to an earlier complaint lodged at the same division by a 19-year-old resident of Gwallameji, who alleged that the suspect had falsely presented himself as a police officer on July 18, arrested him, and took him to a location near the VCRU base.

The complainant further alleged that he was unlawfully detained for about three hours before the suspect forcibly collected his valuables, including a white Samsung A05 phone valued at N180,000, a brown Huawei Pura 70 valued at N130,000, a black power bank worth N50,000, a torchlight valued at N5,000, two phone chargers worth N30,000, and a bunch of keys.

The police said all the stolen items have been recovered and are being held as exhibits. Abdulaziz remains in police custody and will be charged to court upon the completion of the investigation.

Commenting on the arrests, the Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, warned residents to remain vigilant and always demand proper identification from anyone claiming to be a security operative.

He urged members of the public to promptly report suspicious persons and activities to the nearest police station, reiterating the Command’s commitment to ridding Bauchi State of criminal elements and ensuring the safety of lives and property.

The arrests bring to three the number of suspected security impersonators apprehended by the Bauchi State Police Command within one week.