Two teenage boys, both 18 years old, who were on a police wanted list for various crimes, have been apprehended by the Adamawa State Command. The arrest was announced on Tuesday, with officials highlighting that these young individuals were known as part of a group referred to as the Shila Boys, notorious for their criminal activities throughout the state.

In a statement released by SP Suleiman Nguroje, the police image maker, the Command emphasized that their proactive measures are starting to show positive results, as they successfully captured two prominent members of the radical Shila cult groups who had been evading law enforcement.

The suspects have been identified as Bagir Magaji Muhammad, residing in Layin Chinko, and Zaradeen Hadi, who lives in Sohon Kasuwa, both located in the Yola North Local Government Area. The police statement explained that the suspects contributed to their own downfall by engaging in criminal behavior on November 4, 2024. They reportedly followed and robbed a victim named Habiba Umar, taking her mobile phone while armed with offensive weapons.

Following the report of this incident, detectives from the Command’s anti-narcotics unit were able to trace and intercept the suspects promptly. The investigation that ensued led to the recovery of the stolen handset, as well as the discovery of a sharp knife and a horn that were in the suspects’ possession at the time of their arrest.

While the immediate focus of this arrest pertains to the robbery incident, the police underscored that the significance of this case lies in the suspects’ ongoing criminal activities that had previously placed them on the police watch list. The Shila Boys are infamous for their pattern of snatching phones and other valuables both during the day and at night, making the theft of mobile devices a particularly risky endeavor in Yola and other major towns across Adamawa State.