Cell-Phone Thieves Take Over KADUNA

Stories of Cell-Phone theft has become worrisome and a recurring decimal in Kaduna. In some cases, it is fatal whereby the victim is either killed, bathed with acid, hand chopped off, stabbed or is seriously injured.

Right now in Kaduna, people are afraid to make use of their phones in the open, they would rather leave the phone to ring out even if its an emergency or a business call than answer the call for fear that the phone might be snatched from them or the owner even killed in the process of stealing the phone.

The issue has become so worrisome in Kaduna, to the extent that the Kaduna Police Command has called on residents to be careful when using their cell-phones in public as this could result to a very fatal consequence.

In an interview with City People, the Public Relations Officer of the command, Mansur Hassan disclosed that “over 450 suspects have been arrested and charged to court for phone theft and various investigations over the issue is being carried out by the Police, as it is now an organized crime”.

In the past few months the PRO, said cell phone snatchers use guns, knives, sharp scissors to harm their victims, which has left so many people vulnerable in public places. Mansur Hassan said a suspected master mind of phone theft in the state is Salisu Kalid who has boys he has trained to snatch phones. “In fact Kalid recruited boys from Maiduguri, and Lagos to come to Kaduna for operation” He hires Keke-Napep (Tricycle) for them and would attack a victim with a cell phone in the tricycle and immediately throw the victim out”.

Musur Hassan also disclosed that these boys operate by hiring tricycle, and pretend to be passengers only for them to attack the person in the tricycle and snatch the persons phone or they would ride on a bike, move close to a victim who is standing and making a call, cut the persons hand and snatch his/her phone.

Residents have also accused mobile phone shops in the metropolis of buying stolen phones, but this has been denied by the association’s spokesman Abdulmajid Mohammed. He revealed that “if anybody brings a phone with a security code on it we immediately know it’s a stolen phone. We will immediately put him under investigation and hand him over to the police”.

In a recent quarterly Press briefing, by the State’s Commissioner of Police CP, Ali Dabigi also revealed that 985 suspected phone snatcher’s were arrested, while receiver’s and cyber criminals who specialize in unlocking and altering phones were arrested in Kaduna metropolis and environs.

Investigations, by City People revealed that in Oct. 2023 a serving Youth Corp Member, Grace Silas was stabbed to death by phone thieves during an early morning road work out by the youth corper in the Barnawa area of the Metropolis. Similarly, a serving military officer Lt. Abubakar Isa was stabbed to death, and his phone collected from him at the Unguwan/Sarki areas of Kaduna Metropolis. The son of a prominent late musician was also stabbed to death by Lugard Hall, Kaduna and his phone collected.

Narrating, their experiences in the hands of cell-phone snatchers, Nora James said her cell-phone was stolen at the popular Bakin Dogo Market in the heart of the town, where she had gone to buy pepper and locust beans “I had just paid for the pepper and put my hand in my bag as I was expecting an alert, only for me to realize that the phone was missing – just like magic!! But I immediately blocked the line. I am also grateful that I am alive to tell my story”

Not so for Alice Ishaya’s brother, who was stabbed in the head, by these phone snatcher’s and is now lying critically ill in the hospital. Musa was also sprayed with acid by phone snatchers along Rabah Road, by phone snatchers who were riding on a motor-bike. “Immediately they came close to me, while answering a call, the rider slowed down while his accomplice sprayed my face and hand with acid and snatched my phone”. I thank God my eyes were not affected.

The State Public Relations Officer, emphasized that all those caught in snatching phones will be prosecuted. “The command is committed to fighting crime, provide safety and protect law abiding citizens from criminals” he concluded.

–Asabe Ndoma