Police in Bauchi State have recovered a stolen truckload of salt worth over N10 million and arrested two suspects linked to the case.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, said in a statement on Thursday that the salt was recovered during a stop-and-search operation by officers of the Alkeleri Divisional Headquarters on April 30, 2025.
He said, “At about 5pm, our officers stopped a flatbed truck with registration number BAG 283 XF. The truck was carrying more than 1,000 bags of 25kg iodised salt.”
The total value of the goods was estimated to be around ₦10.2 million.
While the driver of the truck managed to escape, the police arrested two young men found inside the vehicle. The suspects were identified as Sadik Jidda, 20, from Borno State, and Ibrahim Ahmad, 19, from Kaduna State.
“Initial findings show that both suspects are conductors. The runaway driver told them they were heading to Alkeleri in Bauchi State,” Wakil explained.
He said the police are working to find the missing driver and investigate further.
In another operation on the same day, the police also arrested a man suspected of pretending to be a soldier. The suspect, Jibrin Ali, 28, from Zandar in Niger Republic, was caught inside the Yankari Game Reserve in Alkeleri Local Government Area.
Wakil said, “He was behaving suspiciously in an area known for bandit activities. During a joint patrol with local security teams, our officers arrested him.”
According to the police, Jibrin resisted arrest and could not give a clear reason for being in the forest.
The Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, praised the officers for their hard work and ordered both cases to be taken over by the State Criminal Investigation Department for full investigation.
“The command will continue to work hard to keep Bauchi safe,” Wakil said, adding that the police appreciate the support of local security teams.
