Abdullahi Ibrahim and Khadija Ali have been detained by the Yobe state police command for allegedly stealing a motorcycle from a Muslim cleric in the Fika Local Government Area of Yobe.
DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, the command’s spokesman, said this in a statement from Damaturu.
He said that on June 4, Ibrahim, 21, and Ali, 20, went to the priest and declared their desire to convert to Islam.
”The suspects presented themselves as Jude Emmanuel, a Birom man from Farar-Kasa in Barkin Ladi, Plateau and his wife, posed as Peace Sunday.
“ They were subsequently accepted and converted to Islam and, as such, placed in the custody of the Chief Imam in Fika local government area for teaching and proper guidance.
“ A day later, Abdullahi informed the Imam that he needed ashes from a thunderstrike spot to prepare a concoction for his ailments.
“ The Imam assigned one of his sons to take him to a nearby bush. Having gotten there, the suspect collected some dust.
“ On the third day, he requested to be taken to the spot to collect some dust for his wife. The Imam obliged and asked his son to help them get there with his motorcycle.
“ On the spot, the culprits robbed the Imam’s son of his motorcycle and fled,” Abdulkarim said.
The spokesman said the matter was later reported to the Fika Divisional Police Headquarters, where swift efforts were made to trail the culprits for prosecution.
On July 1, he said, information reached the police division that the couple was sighted in Biu LGA of Borno, about to perpetrate similar act.
”Fortunately, on July 5 at 1400hrs, detectives from the division reacted and apprehended the suspects.
“ Meanwhile, preliminary investigations revealed that they are indigenes of Yobe,” he said.
Abdulkarim said the suspect have since confessed to committing crimes including robbery and abduction against unsuspecting members of the public.
The spokesman advised residents to always report strangers to the police for proper investigation.