The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of the notorious Shilla gang for alleged involvement in armed robbery, housebreaking and theft in Yola, the state capital.
The arrests were carried out in the early hours of January 5, 2026, following a joint operation between the police and members of the local community, the command said.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, said the suspects were apprehended through the Command’s Community Policing Initiative.
He identified the suspects as Auwal Inusa (19), Huzaifa Ahmed (19) and Lukman Abdullahi (19), all residents of Nassarawo Ward in Yola North Local Government Area.
According to the statement, the trio allegedly armed themselves with cutlasses, daggers and knives and broke into a house along Nassarawo, Jimeta, where they robbed occupants of their valuables at about 3:00 a.m.
“Members of the community intercepted and arrested three out of four suspects, while one suspect escaped,” Nguroje said.
Items recovered from the suspects include two mobile phones, a power bank, one cutlass and two knives allegedly used in carrying out the crime.
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Commending the vigilance and cooperation of residents, the Commissioner of Police, Dankombo Morris, urged the public to sustain collaboration with the police by promptly reporting suspicious activities.
The police said the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The Shilla gang, described as a deadly criminal group, reportedly began operations in 2015 during the administration of former Governor Jibrilla Bindow. The gang initially targeted members of opposition political parties before expanding into widespread armed robbery across parts of the state.