Operatives of the Gombe State Police Command have taken a 29-year-old man, Ahijo Boyi, into custody over allegations of vandalising and stealing high-tension power cables.
According to a statement issued by the command's spokesperson, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, and reported by Punch, the suspect was caught on Saturday, 31 October 2026. The arrest took place around 9:00 a.m. while officers were on visibility patrol, working alongside local residents who assisted the team.
Boyi lives in the Burundi Quarters area of Akko Local Government Area. During the operation, police officers recovered four rolls of high-tension electricity cables from him.
Early findings by investigators show that the wires were cut from a high-tension line that connects the 301 Army Artillery Regiment to the Gona community in the state.
During questioning by police operatives, the suspect admitted that he did not act alone. He confessed to collaborating with three other individuals to vandalise the public power installations. The three accomplices managed to flee and are still on the run.
The Gombe State Commissioner of Police, Umar Chuso, praised the officers on patrol and commended local community members for partnering with security agencies to secure the arrest and retrieve the stolen items.
Chuso stated that the police command remains dedicated to securing critical national infrastructure across the state. He also appealed to citizens to stay alert and quickly alert the nearest police division whenever they notice questionable movements or illegal activities.
The command noted that formal investigations into the theft are still going on, with security personnel intensifying efforts to track down and arrest the three fleeing suspects.
