The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested 15 suspects following a violent clash between youth groups in the Kandahar area of the metropolis, which led to the burning of a government primary school.

DAILY POST recalls that violence erupted when a group of youths attacked civilians in the community, setting fire to the Civilian Joint Task Force, JTF office and part of the Kandahar Primary School.

During the clash, one of the attackers, 22-year-old Saidu Musa, was said to have sustained gunshot wounds and was taken to the Specialist Hospital for treatment.It took the intervention of the Police to restore order in the area.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Spokesman of the Command, SP Ahmed Wakili, said investigations are ongoing to uncover the cause of the incident.

Wakil said preliminary findings by operatives of the command revealed the attack was carried out by youths angry over an earlier encounter with the Civilian JTF.

The statement reads “ On 18 December 2024, at about 08:30 hours, Detectives from ‘A’ Police Divisional Police Headquarters received a distress call from a good Samaritan regarding a group of youths engaging in violent behaviour in the Kandahar area of Bauchi metropolis.

“This group attacked innocent civilians and targeted the Civilian Joint Task Force, JTF office located near Kandahar Primary School.

“The assailants set fire to the Civilian JTF office and a portion of the State Government Primary School.”

“During this unrest, members of the civilian JTF confronted the attackers, resulting in one of the assailants, identified as Saidu Musa, aged 22, sustaining a gunshot wound to the chest from a locally-made firearm.

“In response to the situation, a team of Police operatives was promptly dispatched to the scene. They successfully de-escalated the conflict and evacuated Saidu Musa to the Specialist Hospital for medical treatment.

“Preliminary investigations indicated that on 18 December 2024, at 21:20 hours, the Civilian JTF encountered a group of restive youths in the Kandahar area.

“Following this encounter, on 19 December 2024, the disgruntled youths regrouped and initiated a violent attack against the Civilian JTF office and the government primary school, inflicting damage and causing distress among innocent citizens.

“With the swift response of Police operatives, the situation has now been brought under control, additionally, fifteen suspects have been arrested in connection with this incident, and investigations are currently ongoing.”