The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested Gambo Hassan, alias “Anahaka,” a 53-year-old suspected fake commercial motorbike rider, on charges of kidnapping, rape, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of offensive weapons in Bauchi.
SP Nafiu Habib, the Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed this in a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Sunday, saying the culprit was apprehended using intelligence-led policing and covert operations.
According to Habib, Hassan was detained by operatives from the ‘B’ Division, GRA, Bauchi, on September 11, 2026, at around 8:45 p.m. during a regular patrol along Adamu Jumba Road.
He said, “On 11th September, 2026, at about 2045hrs, operatives of ‘B’ Division GRA, Bauchi, on routine patrol arrested 53-year-old Gambo Hassan, alias ‘Anahaka,’ a male of Igbo Quarters, Bauchi.”
According to the PPRO, the suspect allegedly disguised himself as a commercial motorcycle rider, also known as an Okada, in the dark hours to target unsuspecting passengers, mainly women.
He said, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect disguised himself as a commercial motorcycle, ‘Okada’ rider, during evening hours to target, kidnap, rob, and at times rape unsuspecting passengers, particularly women.”
According to Habib, the suspect was caught with a sharp knife and was riding a Bajaj motorcycle with the registration number BAU 150G while wearing a black face mask and cap.
He added, “At the time of arrest along Adamu Jumba Road, he was found in possession of a sharp knife and was riding a Bajaj motorcycle with Reg. No. BAU 150G, while wearing a black face mask and a face cap.”
According to a police official, the defendant allegedly confessed to the crimes during interrogation, allowing officers to identify several of his claimed victims.
“During interrogation, the suspect voluntarily confessed to the crime. He further led detectives to identify fifteen women within Bauchi metropolis as victims of his criminal activities. The number of identified victims later rose to thirty-five women,” Habib said.
He revealed that following the development, detectives executed a search warrant at the suspect’s residence and recovered several items suspected to be proceeds of crime.
According to him, the recovered items included “fifteen assorted phones: Samsung Galaxy Fold, Redmi, two iTels, two iPhones, four Infinix, two Tecnos, three power banks, six ladies’ wristwatches, six assorted native caps, five bundles of women’s wrappers, three women’s hijabs, and a cash sum of N425,435.”
Habib also stated that Kenyan and Turkish currency notes, among other items, were also recovered from the suspect’s residence.
The PPRO said, “In line with standard procedure, the suspect and all recovered exhibits have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Bauchi, for discreet investigation and diligent prosecution.”
He reported the Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, as praising the investigators’ diligence and professionalism in apprehending the culprit.
The commissioner also reassured citizens that the command will continue to work to cleanse the state of criminal groups.
Habib said that the CP “urged members of the public, especially victims, to come forward with useful information to aid investigation.”
The command also assured people that it was unwavering in its efforts to combat criminal activity across Bauchi State.
