Eleven Arrested Over Murder of Alleged Sara-Suka Member in Bauchi

The morning of October 2, 2025, started like any other in Sabon Kasuwa, quiet, with traders just setting up for the day, until chaos broke the calm. Around 8:25 a.m., two men arrived at the home of 29-year-old Ahmad Lawan, known locally as Soje, a figure allegedly linked to the notorious Sara-Suka gang. Moments after he opened his door, he was stabbed in the chest.

Witnesses said the attackers fled before anyone could react. Lawan was rushed to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi, but doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. His body was later released to his family for burial according to Islamic rites.

Police investigations, led by spokesperson CSP Ahmad Muhammad Wakil, quickly identified Abubakar Mohammedand Abubakar Ibrahim, alias Duduwa, as prime suspects. But the aftermath was anything but calm.

After Lawan’s burial, angry youths took to the streets, one of the suspects’ homes was set ablaze in a surge of retaliation. Police units from the D Division, Operation Restore Peace, and the Rapid Response Squad were deployed to prevent the violence from spreading.

In a dramatic turn, Duduwa reportedly tried to flee Bauchi but was caught by security operatives in Mararraban Liman-Katagum. On the way back to the station, however, a mob intercepted the convoy at Kwanar Kwaila, attacking the suspect with machetes. He sustained deep cuts to the head and fractures in both arms before officers managed to rescue him and rush him back to ATBUTH for treatment.

By the time calm returned, eleven people had been arrested in connection with the murder and the violence that followed. The suspects include Abdulwahab Adamu, Nuruddeen Idris, Kabiru Saidu, Ibrahim Hamza, Abdullahi Isah, Abdulrasheed Garba, Abdulwahab Abubakar, Kabiru Muhammad, Musa Abdullahi, Umar Muhammad, and Umar Ali.

CSP Wakil said investigations are ongoing to determine each person’s level of involvement. He added that Commissioner of Police Sani-Omolori Aliyu has vowed to deal decisively with anyone threatening the state’s peace.

Meanwhile, tactical teams have been deployed across Bauchi to maintain order and prevent further unrest.