Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have apprehended Hashiru Baku, the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Brigadier General Harold Udokwere (retd.).
Brigadier General Udokwere, who served as the national chairman of the Retired Members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, was tragically killed by armed robbers who stormed his residence on June 22, 2024, and stole his gun.
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Shortly after the incident, on June 24, the police arrested and paraded four suspects: Ibrahim Rabiu, Nafiu Jamil, Aliyu Abdullahi, and Mohammed Nuhu, in connection with the crime.
Commissioner of Police Bennett Igweh, while addressing journalists on Monday, revealed that Baku was apprehended in Kano while attempting to flee the country. Igweh disclosed that Baku was an escapee from the Kuje correctional centre.
“I did show you the four killers, kidnappers, and robbers who went and killed Brigadier General Uwe Harrod (retd.),” Igweh said. “Today, I will show you the organiser of the killing and the robbery. We have recovered the general’s gun, his wristwatch, and his wife’s jewelry, all stolen from his house. The organiser is here, and we have arrested him. He was in prison and during the Kuje correctional centre attack, he escaped. Instead of repenting, he continued with more audacity. We arrested him in Kano, where he was trying to exit the country.”
Igweh also reported that 79 bottles of 100-ml codeine drugs were found in Baku’s residence, suggesting the suspect’s continued criminal activities.
Additionally, Igweh announced the arrest of Ibrahim Yakubu, Uguwu Joseph, and Mukhata Abdullahi for armed robbery. “They came to the FCT to rob. This red vehicle is their operational vehicle. So, as they organised to rob, they didn’t know we had intelligence. We apprehended them where they were to rob. And we recovered these two English pistols and ammunition from them.”
Further operations led to the arrest of eight suspects at the Kabusa Panteka spot, with recovered items including a trailer containing used car parts, armoured cables, a pickup truck, and two buses, one containing burnt cables.
Moreover, two individuals identified as one-chance operators, Saidi Mohammed and Miracle Felix, were arrested. Igweh stated, “Saidi Mohammed and Miracle Felix, suspected armed robbery suspects who have been on the Command watch list, were arrested.
Suspects confessed to being a gang of one-chance operatives who have been operating around the Wuse II and Mpape axis for a while now. Suspects will be charged in court after an investigation.
