Commissioner of Police in Bauchi State, CP Umar Mamman Sanda, said the command had commenced investigation into claims by someone that he would kill the former speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and three others in Tafawa Balewa local government area of the state.
The commissioner said one of his officers was said to be trying to sell guns seemingly removed from the command’s armoury in Bauchi.
He said, “We got a secret report that one of our officers was trying to sell a gun which was in his car. So, we went out looking for him. Fortunately, we got him with a car and when asked who owned it, he affirmatively answered that it belonged to him, whereas upon a search, guns were found inside.”
According to the commissioner, “The suspect was asked who gave him the guns and he answered that he picked them from the command’s armoury to sell. Are you selling the command’s guns? And he answered in the affirmative, so we arrested him?”
Sanda said that no sooner had the command commenced investigation into the matter, it discovered another collaborator who lived in the same compound and was also arrested.
He said in the course of investigation, the first suspect alleged that he was contacted by someone in Tafawa Balewa exit to buy a gun. The prospective buyer was also arrested.
Sanda said the gun buyer told them that his mission was to kill Dogara and three others, he allegedly instigated the burning of his house during the last December 2021 uprising surrounding the launch of a book on the late Baba Peter Gonto in Tafawa Balewa.
He said however that a suspect could hardly tell one the truth of the matter in which he was being investigated, hence the command’s resolve to embark on a full-scale investigation to unearth the alleged plan to kill Dogara and the swindling of the command’s guns from the armoury.
Reacting to the commissioner’s briefing, Dogara’s spokesperson, Turaki Hassan, wondered what the CP was trying to cover up by refusing to disclose that the suspect was apprehended at Toro LGA with guns by good Samaritans and handed him over to the police.
“The CP admitted that they had arrested one of the officers that was involved in gun running, searched his vehicle and found guns. He also admitted that the said police officer confessed to his intention of selling the guns to the suspect mentioned”.
The spokesperson added, the commissioner also admitted that after an audit of their armoury, they discovered missing arms and ammunition. He admitted that the second suspect confessed to buying the guns with the intention of assassinating the former speaker and three others.
Hassan also wondered why the CP said the suspect’s confessional statement was not collaborated by another person, it was not enough reason to believe that Dogara’s life was under threat?
