The Yobe State Police Command has arrested a suspected member of an organised crime syndicate and recovered a stolen commercial tricycle following a coordinated operation that spanned across state lines.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim.
According to the statement, the Potiskum Divisional Police Headquarters received a distress report at about 10:50 p.m. on July 23, 2026, indicating that a commercial tricycle rider had been robbed earlier that evening after allegedly being drugged by a passenger.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect boarded the tricycle under the guise of a passenger and requested to be taken to Dubai, Garin Dala, behind G.G.S.S.T.C. in Potiskum. During the journey, the suspect allegedly gave the 25-year-old rider a substance suspected to be intoxicating, causing him to lose consciousness before making away with the tricycle, which bore registration number 7878.
The victim was rushed to the State Specialist Hospital in Potiskum, where he was admitted and is responding to treatment.
Acting on intelligence and information shared with security agencies in neighbouring states, operatives intercepted the suspect along with the stolen tricycle at a highway security checkpoint in Gaya, Kano State. The suspect is currently in police custody, while investigations are ongoing ahead of prosecution.
The Commissioner of Police, Usman Kanfani Jibrin, commended the swift response of security personnel and the effective collaboration that led to the recovery of the stolen tricycle. He directed investigators to conduct a comprehensive probe aimed at identifying and arresting other individuals connected to the crime.
The police commissioner also advised commercial tricycle operators, taxi drivers and other transport service providers to exercise caution while carrying passengers. He urged them to avoid accepting unusually high transport fares from suspicious individuals and warned against receiving food, drinks, medication or any consumable items from strangers while on duty.
He further encouraged transport operators and members of the public to promptly report suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station or other security agencies.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property across Yobe State and called on residents to continue supporting law enforcement with credible and timely information.
