A man identified as Umar Abubakar has been arrested for allegedly stealing school desks from Yelwan Kundum Primary School in Bauchi Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
The Permanent Secretary of the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board Abdulmuminu Jibrin, confirmed the arrest on Wednesday while addressing journalists in his office.
According to Jibrin, the suspect was apprehended by security operatives last Friday night following a tip-off from community leaders in the area.
“The arrest of the suspect was made by security agents after a report from the community leaders. The board is committed to ensuring justice is served to deter others from such criminal acts,” he said.
He assured that SUBEB would continue working with security agencies and local authorities to protect school property, warning that anyone caught vandalising or stealing educational materials would face prosecution.
“We are determined to collaborate with all stakeholders to safeguard our schools from thieves and vandals,” Jibrin added.
The Education Secretary of Bauchi Local Government Education Authority, Talatu Yakubu, also commended the residents of Yelwan Kundum for their vigilance, which led to the suspect’s arrest.
She said, “We appreciate the efforts of the Yelwan Kundum community for their timely intervention. Protecting public school property is a collective responsibility, and we urge other communities to emulate this example.”
Yakubu also lauded officers at the Tafawa Balewa Estate Police outpost for their quick response, which resulted in the apprehension of the suspect.
Narrating the incident, the Village Head of Kundum, Nuhu Idris, said Abubakar, who hails from the community, was caught attempting to cart away desks under the cover of darkness.
“One Umar Abubakar, a native of the community, came with a Boxer J5 vehicle around 9 p.m. and took three desks from the school before he was caught and beaten by the youth. He was later handed over to the police,” Idris said.
He added that the arrest came after several incidents of theft at the school in recent weeks.
