Yobe Police Arrest 3 for Stripping YTV Booster Station Transformer; Suspects Confess to Selling Stolen Components for ₦250,000 as CP Vows Zero Tolerance for Vandals

The Yobe State Police Command has “flipped the script” on utility vandals, moving swiftly to arrest a three-man syndicate specialized in stripping electricity transformers. Police operatives in the Garin Alkali Division acted on a “Tsunami” of credible intelligence to intercept the suspects just as they were preparing to dispose of stolen metal components. The “Solution” to the frequent power outages in the Bursari axis appears to be the dismantling of this high-profile criminal ring.

The “Renewed Hope” for stable electricity in the “digital trenches” of Yobe was threatened when the suspects Muhammad Auwali, Inusa Lawan, and Hassan Ibrahim targeted the YTV Booster Station. According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Dungus Abdulkarim, the men “tinkered” with the transformer until it was completely dismantled. They then sold the parts to a local buyer for a “Drill or Drop” price of ₦250,000, a fraction of the actual cost to the state.

Commissioner of Police Usman Kamfani Jibrin, who personally commended the arresting officers, warned that the command is stepping up surveillance around all public infrastructure. “Vandals are economic saboteurs who throw entire communities into darkness for a few thousand Naira,” the CP stated. He added that while one accomplice remains “at large,” the three in custody will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is finalized.

As the 2027 political cycle approaches and the government focuses on its ₦73 trillion economic plan, the protection of basic infrastructure has become a top priority. For the residents of Garin Alkali, the message today is one of relief: the thieves who “ate their light” are now behind bars. The police have urged the public to stay vigilant and report any suspicious movement around power installations to prevent further “blackout crimes.”