By Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The Plateau State Police Command says it has paraded 31 suspects allegedly involved in various crimes in the state during August 2026.
The Command also recovered 10 rifles, including English-made and locally manufactured firearms, as well as 54 rounds of live ammunition.
The Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, CP Ayodeji Faniyan, disclosed this on Friday while parading the suspects before journalists at the Command Headquarters in Jos.
He attributed the achievements to the collective efforts of police officers and men, as well as the cooperation of community leaders, stakeholders and members of the public who provided timely and credible information.
According to him, the cases include alleged defilement, theft, attempted kidnapping, unlawful possession of arms and ammunition, culpable homicide, kidnapping, human trafficking, drug abuse and armed robbery.
On a reported case of defilement involving an 11-year-old girl, the Commissioner said the Command received a report after the victim was noticed walking abnormally and experiencing difficulty while urinating.
He said the victim alleged that on August 19, 2026, while on an errand to grind maize at the residence of one Saleh Abdullahi, 35, the suspect lured her into his room and sexually assaulted her.
The victim further alleged that the suspect threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to anyone.
CP Faniyan said the victim was immediately taken to a hospital for medical examination, while the suspect was arrested and is currently undergoing investigation. He added that the suspect would be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.
The Commissioner also disclosed another reported case involving the alleged sexual abuse of a nine-year-old girl by Ahmed Bello, 40, the proprietor of her school.
According to him, the report was received on August 22, 2026, at about 12:30 a.m., after the girl reportedly told her mother that she had been sexually abused.
The minor alleged that while returning to her classroom after receiving medication at the school’s First Aid Office, the proprietor called her into his office, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her.
She further alleged that he gave her herbal medicine and instructed her to leave.
The Command said the victim was immediately taken to hospital for medical examination, while the suspect was arrested and is currently undergoing investigation.
The suspect will be charged to court for prosecution upon completion of the investigation.
According to CP Faniyan, the suspects paraded included six suspects linked to ammunition recoveries, five suspected of theft, five suspected of foiled kidnapping operations, five linked to arms recoveries, two suspects in alleged defilement cases and two suspects in culpable homicide cases.
Others include one suspected kidnapper, two suspects linked to human trafficking, two suspects for alleged drug abuse and two suspected armed robbers.
The Commissioner also thanked and commended the media for their dedication, diligence and commitment to information dissemination, as well as their objectivity in reporting since he assumed duty.
He said the Plateau State Police Command, under his leadership, would continue to strengthen intelligence-led operations, deepen collaboration with sister security agencies and critical stakeholders, and sustain meaningful engagement with the communities it serves.
CP Faniyan therefore urged the people of the state to remain vigilant, law-abiding and supportive of the police by providing timely and credible information that could assist in preventing and tackling crime.