Police intervened on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, after residents of the Dutse‑Makaranta neighbourhood in Abuja seized two men they believed had stolen mobile phones, laptops and other valuables during the night. The police patrol team arrived promptly, rescued the two suspects from the mob and took them into custody.
Key facts
- The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
- Two suspects were apprehended by neighbours before the police arrived.
- Victims reported loss of phones, laptops, purses and ATM cards.
- Divisional Police Officer CSP Paul Danladi confirmed the police received a distress call and responded immediately.
- One victim, Lovett Nehemiah, said her phone and purse were taken and left in a bush.
What triggered the police response?
Residents said they discovered their doors ajar and personal items missing around 4 a.m. One woman found her kitchen door open and saw plates and other belongings taken outside. She also recalled seeing a figure holding an object that looked like a knife shortly before the alarm was raised. "In less than three minutes, I started hearing, ‘Thief! Thief!’ When we came outside, we saw two of them; they had been caught," she recounted.
Who were the victims?
One of the affected parties, Lovett Nehemiah, explained that she had plugged her phone in before sleeping and woke up to find both the phone and her purse missing. She discovered her front door open and the items dumped in nearby bushes. The purse contained ATM cards linked to GTBank, MoneyPoint and OPay, as well as her National Identification Number (NIN). Using a neighbour’s phone, she called her own number; it rang twice before being switched off. As of the police’s arrival, her phone had not been recovered.
What actions did the police take?
CSP Paul Danladi, the officer in charge of the Owner‑Occupier division in Kubwa, said the division received a distress call about a mob confronting the two suspects. A police patrol was dispatched without delay, reached the scene, and safely extracted the two men from the crowd. The officers are now conducting inquiries to identify any additional victims and to trace the stolen items.
What is the broader impact?
The residents indicated that several households in the area suffered similar losses, with reports of missing phones, laptops and other valuables. The incident has heightened community concerns about security during night hours and prompted calls for increased police patrols in the neighbourhood.
The police continue to investigate the case, urging anyone with further information to come forward.