NSCDC personnel and 16 others arrested as security operatives raid criminal hideout in Yobe

Security operatives in Yobe State have raided a notorious criminal hideout in the Saman Tudu area of Pompomari District, Damaturu, arresting a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and 16 other suspects. 

The raid was carried out on January 18, 2026 at about 7: 20 p.m. following a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation targeting criminal elements who use the area as a haven.

The enclave served as a convergence point for trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs, as well as planning and execution of various criminal activities within the community. 

“During the operation, the team stormed and ransacked the hideout, leading to the arrest of 17 suspects, including one Mohammed B. Kolo, identified as an NSCDC personnel attached to the Yobe State Command,” a source told security analyst Zagazola Makama. 

He added that exhibits recovered from the scene included a knife, five bicycles, dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, hemp wrapping papers, a long sack used as a mat and the sum of N8,500 found inside a sack suspected to contain the drugs. 

The suspects are currently in custody while investigation is ongoing to determine their level of involvement in criminal activities. 

Those found culpable would be charged to court for prosecution after the conclusion of investigations. 

Residents were urged to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to sustain the fight against crime in the state.