Alleged Phone Snatcher Stab Naval Officer To Death In Kaduna

…As Police Arrest 27

A Naval officer, Lieutenant Commander M. Buba, has been stabbed to death by suspected phone snatchers near the Kawo Flyover Bridge in Kaduna while attempting to fix a flat tyre on his vehicle.

Buba, a student at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, near Kaduna, was returning to base when the incident occurred around 4:30am on Saturday, according to military and eyewitness sources.

According to witnesses, the officer had stopped by the roadside to fix the deflated tyre when an unidentified assailant approached and demanded his mobile phone.

When he resisted, the attacker stabbed him in the chest with a sharp object believed to be a locally made knife.

The officer was rushed to Manaal Hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival. His remains were later deposited at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital mortuary.

In a twist, a local vigilante, Suleiman Dahiru, who attempted to intervene during the altercation, was also stabbed in the hand.

However, passersby reportedly overpowered the assailant and lynched him on the spot.

A spokesman for the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Lt. Col. Umar Adamu, confirmed the incident, saying an investigation was ongoing to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the attack.

The killing has sparked concerns over the resurgence of urban gangsters known as ‘Sara Suka’, particularly around the Kawo axis, which has seen repeated reports of robberies and attacks in recent months.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna Police Command said it had launched a major crackdown on criminals in the Kawo area, arresting 27 suspected criminals and recovering a significant cache of dangerous weapons and hard drugs.

The operation, which was conducted in collaboration with the military, Department of State Service, Kadgis, and vigilante groups, was part of the Command’s efforts to identify, flush out, and dismantle criminal elements threatening the peace in some designated areas.

According to a statement by DSP Mansir Hassan, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command on Monday, the operation was launched on June 8, 2025, at about 8:30 pm.

“The joint tactical operation was launched in the nooks and crannies of Kawo and neighbouring areas, leading to the arrest of 27 suspects and the recovery of dangerous weapons,” Hassan said.

He added that the operatives recovered exhibits (weapons) including knives, axes, cutlasses, and large quantities of dried leaves suspected to be “Indian hemp” and other hard drugs.

Consequently, he said the Command assured residents of its continued commitment to ensuring the safety and security of lives and property in the state.

He quoted the Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad to have reiterated the Command’s commitment to maintaining law and order across the state.

The police spokesman said the CP also warned that anyone with intentions to cause violence or disrupt public order “is strongly advised to desist or vacate the state.”

The statement entitled: ‘Kaduna State Police Command Stormed Criminal Hideouts in Kawo Area, Arrest 27 Suspected criminals, Recovered Dangerous Weapons and Hard Drugs,’ read:

“In line with the directive of the Commissioner of Police to identify, flush out and dismantle criminal elements threatening the peace in some designated areas, the Command has conducted a series of raiding in a joint operation with the military, DSS, Kadgis and the vigilante within Kawo area and its surroundings, leading to the arrest of numerous suspects and the recovery of dangerous weapons.

“On 8th June, 2025, at about 2030hrs, a joint tactical operation was launched in the nooks and crannies of Kawo and neighbouring areas. This operation led to the arrest of 27 suspects, and a significant cache of dangerous weapons was recovered from them.

“Exhibits recovered during the operation include: Knives, Axes, Cutlasses and a Large quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and other hard drugs

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, has reiterated the Command’s unwavering commitment in maintaining law and order across the state.

“He emphasized that Kaduna remains a peaceful state, and the Police will not allow miscreants or criminally minded individuals to destabilize the peace.

“He also stated that, anyone with intentions to cause violence or disrupt public order is strongly advised to desist or vacate the state, as the Police will continue to clamp down on miscreants and give them no breathing space within the State.”

Alleged Phone Snatcher Stab Naval Officer To Death In Kaduna is first published on The Whistler Newspaper