The Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of no fewer than sixteen individuals in connection with the abduction and gruesome murder of two seven-year-old girls from Unguwan Sarkin Yaki Village, located in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Ahmed Wakil, the tragic incident reportedly occurred on July 22, 2025, around 3:00 p.m. According to him, a 19-year-old suspect, identified as Esther Gambo from Lemoro Village, allegedly lured the two young victims, Khadija Sama’ila and A’isha Dahiru, under false pretences.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect enticed the girls while also targeting a newborn baby girl belonging to Nafisa Dahiru. After obtaining the infant, Esther is believed to have led the two children to a nearby maize farm, where she reportedly murdered them using a machete before fleeing the scene.
Following a swift response to the distress report, a joint team of police officers and local vigilante operatives launched an operation that led to the recovery of the deceased girls’ bodies. Esther Gambo was subsequently apprehended, and the kidnapped newborn was rescued unharmed.
Further investigations led to the arrest of additional suspects believed to be connected to the crime. Those arrested include Abbas Abdullahi (20), Mubarak Auwal (19), Abdullahi Muhammad a.k.a. “P.A” (19), Dauda Abdullahi (19), Abubakar Sama’ila (18), Abdulmutallib Ibrahim (18), Yazid Auwal (20), Abdulrahman Ibrahim (17), Abdulwahid Sulaiman (17), Salihu Shuaibu (20), Sirajo Halliru (24), Musayib Abdullahi (21), Ibrahim Abubakar (19), Esther Idi (19), Gambo Yakubu (20), and Idi Bitrus, a 50-year-old man.
CSP Wakil disclosed that the horrific incident sparked significant unrest in the local community, particularly among Muslim youths. In retaliation, several churches were set ablaze, and there were attempts to burn down the Tulu Divisional Police Headquarters.
However, police reinforcements were swiftly deployed from the Toro Area Command and nearby divisions, effectively restoring calm and preventing further escalation.
Addressing the situation, Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, assured the public that a thorough and unbiased investigation is ongoing. He urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding, emphasizing that the matter would be handled with the full weight of the law.
CP Aliyu condemned the retaliatory violence that erupted in the aftermath of the killings, stressing the importance of upholding legal processes. He appealed to community members to avoid taking the law into their own hands and to respect the rights and dignity of all individuals, irrespective of the circumstances.
He reiterated that enforcement of the law remains the duty of trained law enforcement professionals and warned against any actions that may disrupt public peace or interfere with the investigation.