10 suspects nabbed over gruesome murder of Police constable

Following the gruesome murder of a police constable, Babagana Mala in Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno state, ten suspects have been reportedly arrested after a good Samaritan in the area where the incident occured, aided the police undercover operatives’ investigation.

The suspects whose identities have been made known to the public include eight males and two females whose names have been said to be Usman Audu, male, 20; Hauwa Usman, female, 20; Aisha Musa, female, 19 and Abba Bala, male, 20.

Others include Sunday Garba, male 21; David Paul, male, 35; Mohammed Abubakar, male, 19 as well as Jude Eze, male, 37; Amaechi Abdulsalam Afochibe, male 37 and Nduibuse Nnaji, male, 34.

According to the Borno State Commissioner of police, Mohammed Yusufu who paraded the suspects before newsmen at the police command headquarters in Maiduguri on Tuesday, Constable Babagana Mala (the deceased) was attached to Police Crack Unit of the State Police Command and deployed to Malari, Konduga Local Government Area of the state.

While speaking to newsmen, he explained that the constable, Babagana was gruesomely murdered along the Artillery area, Maiduguri, at about 4:27pm on Sunday, July 23, 2023 after he had taken permission from his superiors to visit his home which is also located in the state capital, Maiduguri.

The Borno State Police boss further revealed how Babagana was killed as he explained that the late Police constable was stabbed with a sharp object on his back by his assailants who are still being investigated to get to the roots of the case; adding that they would be charged to court at the end of the investigation

In his words, “we understand there was an altercation between the hoodlums and the constable before he was stabbed.”

“On receipt of a distress call from the area, the police patrol team responded and rescued the victim to Maiduguri specialist hospital for treatment where he was later certified dead.

Yesufu, pained by the grim and untimely demise of his fellow, revealed to newsmen that his men swung into action to uncover the unfolding of events which led to the unfortunate incident.

He said it was in the course of the preliminary investigations that a good Samaritan who was in the area where the incident occured, provided a video clip that has proven useful to the police operatives.

“Police undercover operatives obtained a video clip of the incident from a Good Samaritan which led to the arrest of the suspects,” he said.

The Borno police boss also said efforts would be intensified as proper investigations would also be conducted before the suspects are charged to court.

Terrorist attacks on the military, police and even ordinary citizens have overtime, become recurring in Borno state which in many cases, leaves many dead and others injured.

Such incessant attacks often create fear in the minds of the people, especially residents of the affected areas thereby leading to unplanned migrations and an increase in the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state and beyond.

Borno, a North Eastern state in Nigeria has equally remained a hotspot for Boko Haram attacks and other terrorism attacks in the country since 2010 during the Good luck Ebele Jonathan administration.