The Taraba State Police Command has arrested an 18-year old suspected cultist and recovered an illegal revolver pistol at a Qur’anic school in Jalingo.
The command said the suspect was arrested on Tuesday night following a reported altercation between two students at the Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau Institute for Koranic Memorization in Jalingo.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Victor Mshelizah, in a statement issued to LEADERSHIP in Jalingo, said the Police has also launched a manhunt for other suspects linked to the incident in the school.
The statement said, the incident was reported to the GRA Police Division at about 11:00pm.
According to Police, preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect, identified as Usman A. Usman, 18, from Sansani in Gassol Local Government Area, allegedly produced a mini revolver pistol during a disagreement with the school’s Senior Prefect in an attempt to intimidate him.
It said, police operatives promptly arrested the suspect and recovered the firearm, which was not loaded with ammunition.
ASP Mshelizah disclosed that, during interrogation, the suspect claimed he obtained the revolver from another student of the institution, identified as Akilu Alhassan, who is currently on the run.
The police spokesman said the command had launched a manhunt to apprehend the fleeing suspect and other suspected cult members believed to be connected to the case.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Morkwap Sebastian Dongshal, had directed that the matter be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a thorough investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the possession of the firearm and identify all those involved.
The police commissioner reiterated the command’s commitment to tackling cultism, illegal possession of firearms and other violent crimes across the state.
He urged parents, guardians, school authorities and community leaders to remain vigilant and support the police by providing timely information on suspicious persons and activities capable of threatening public peace and security.
The command, then assured residents of its resolve to protect lives and property and to sustain ongoing efforts to keep Taraba State safe.
