Bauchi court sentences eight to eight years each for thuggery, public disturbance

Eight men have been sentenced to eight years in prison each by a Bauchi State court for thuggery and disturbing public peace in Unguwar Dim, Bauchi metropolis, following a police crackdown on renewed criminal activities in the community.

The convicts were also given the option of paying a fine of ₦370,000 each, according to the Bauchi State Police Command.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, October 17, saying the arrests followed a complaint by the Unguwar Dim Peace and Security Committee on October 14 over renewed cases of thuggery in the area.

Acting on the complaint, a joint team of police operatives and community security personnel raided a suspected hideout in the early hours of October 15.

The operation led to the arrest of nine people, while weapons and suspected illicit substances were recovered, the police said.

Items recovered included machetes, cutlasses, knives and sticks, which authorities said were found during the operation.

Following investigations, eight of the arrested suspects were charged before the court. They were subsequently convicted after pleading guilty to the charges.

The police did not disclose details of the ninth person arrested or explain why that individual was not among those convicted in the case.

The Commissioner of Police in Bauchi State, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, welcomed the court’s decision, describing the outcome as a boost to efforts to tackle thuggery and protect residents.

He urged members of the public to provide credible information that could help security agencies identify and apprehend individuals involved in criminal activities.

Aliyu also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to sustaining operations against thuggery and other crimes, saying the police would continue working to protect lives and property across the state.