Taraba Student Arrested for Allegedly Possessing Mini Revolver at Islamic School

The police have arrested an 18-year-old student after allegedly recovering a mini revolver from him at an Islamic school in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.

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The police state command’s spokesperson, Victor Mshelizah, said in a statement that Usman Usman was arrested following a report received on 14 July from the management of Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau Institute for Koranic Memorisation over a disagreement between two students.

Usman, a native of Sansani in Gassol Local Government Area, was allegedly found in possession of the firearm during the altercation. Preliminary investigation revealed that Master Usman was found with a mini revolver pistol without ammunition, allegedly with the intention of using it to intimidate the other student involved in the dispute.

Officers attached to the GRA Police Division promptly arrested the suspect and recovered the firearm. According to the police spokesperson, the suspect told investigators that he obtained the revolver from another student of the institution, who is currently on the run.

The suspect disclosed during interrogation that he obtained the firearm from one Akilu Alhassan, another student of the institution, who is presently on the run. A manhunt has been launched to apprehend him and other suspected cult members connected to the incident.

The Commissioner of Police in Taraba State, Morkwap Dongshal, has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation. This comes as the commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling cultism, illegal possession of firearms and other violent crimes.

Taraba State has indeed been plagued by cultism and gun violence in recent years. Schools in the state have had to deal with a series of incidents involving armed students and staff members. The state government has introduced various measures to curb the trend, including the ban on unlicensed private security personnel and stricter checks on public gathering places.

As for Usman, he currently remains in custody as investigations continue.

The command remains committed to combating cultism, illegal possession of firearms and all forms of violent crime. We urge parents, guardians, school authorities and community leaders to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities capable of threatening public safety.