By Prosper Mene
The Bauchi State Police Command has apprehended 19-year-old Esther Gambo in connection with the horrific murder of two seven-year-old girls and the abduction of a newborn baby in Toro Local Government Area. The incident, occurred on July 22, 2025, and has sparked widespread outrage and violent protest in the community of Unguwan Sarkin Yaki.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Ahmed Wakil, Esther Gambo, a resident of Lemoro Village, allegedly lured two young girls, Khadija Sama’ila and A’isha Dahiru, from Unguwan Sarkin Yaki Village under false pretenses. Preliminary investigations reveal that Gambo’s motive was to kidnap a newborn baby girl belonging to Nafisa Dahiru. After abducting the infant, Gambo reportedly led the two girls to a nearby maize farm, where she brutally killed them with a machete before fleeing the scene.
Swift action by a combined team of police operatives and local vigilantes led to Gambo’s arrest, the recovery of the deceased girls’ bodies, and the safe rescue of the kidnapped newborn. The tragic incident triggered public unrest, with angry youths in the predominantly Muslim community setting churches ablaze and attempting to burn down the Tulu Divisional Police Headquarters. Police reinforcements from Toro Area Command and neighboring divisions successfully restored order.
In addition to Gambo, 15 other suspects have been arrested in connection with the murders and subsequent unrest. The suspects, identified as Abbas Abdullahi (20), Mubarak Auwal (19), Abdullahi Muhammad (19), Dauda Abdullahi (19), Abubakar Sama’ila (18), Abdulmutallib Ibrahim (18), Yazid Auwal (20), Abdulrahman Ibrahim (17), Abdulwahid Sulaiman (17), Salihu Shuaibu (20), Sirajo Halliru (24), Musayib Abdullahi (21), Ibrahim Abubakar (19), Esther Idi (19), Gambo Yakubu (20), and Idi Bitrus (50), are currently under investigation.
Commissioner of Police Sani-Omolori Aliyu condemned the violence and emphasized the importance of upholding the law. “We are committed to ensuring justice is served,” Aliyu stated, urging residents to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands. He assured the public that a thorough investigation is underway to uncover the full details of the crime and bring all perpetrators to justice.
The Bauchi State Police Command has called for community cooperation and vigilance, encouraging residents to report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or via emergency contact numbers: 112 or 08156814656.
