Fake Okada rider allegedly targeted women, kidnapped, robbed and raped 35 victims as police recover 15 phones, hijabs, five bundles of wrappers, foreign currencies, others

• Police arrested a 53-year-old man accused of posing as an Okada rider in Bauchi.

• The suspect allegedly targeted, robbed and raped women during evening hours.

• Police identified 35 women as alleged victims during investigation.

• Items recovered from his home included phones, hijabs, wrappers and foreign currencies.

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 53-year-old man, identified as Gambo Hassan, popularly known as “Anahaka,” for allegedly disguising himself as a commercial motorcycle rider to target women in Bauchi metropolis.

The police accused Hassan of using the disguise to allegedly kidnap, rob and sexually assault unsuspecting passengers, particularly women, during evening hours.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, the suspect was arrested on September 11, 2026, at about 8:45 p.m. by operatives of the ‘B’ Division, GRA, Bauchi, during a routine patrol along Adamu Jumba Road.

Habib said preliminary investigation revealed that Hassan allegedly posed as an Okada rider to lure unsuspecting passengers, especially women.

He said: “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect disguised himself as a commercial motorcycle, ‘Okada’ rider during evening hours to target, kidnap, rob and at times rape unsuspecting passengers, particularly women.”

The police said Hassan was arrested while riding a Bajaj motorcycle with registration number BAU 150G, wearing a black face mask and face cap. A sharp knife was also allegedly recovered from him at the time of his arrest.

During interrogation, the police said the suspect allegedly confessed and assisted detectives in identifying some of the victims of his alleged activities.

According to the command, detectives initially identified 15 women within Bauchi metropolis as victims, but the number later increased to 35 women as investigations continued.

Following the investigation, police said they obtained and executed a search warrant at Hassan’s residence, where several items suspected to be proceeds of crime were recovered.

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The recovered items included:

• 15 assorted mobile phones, including Samsung Galaxy Fold, Redmi, iTel, iPhone, Infinix and Tecno phones;

• Three power banks;

• Six ladies’ wristwatches;

• Six assorted native caps;

• Five bundles of women’s wrappers;

• Three women’s hijabs;

• ₦425,435 cash;

• Kenyan and Turkish currency notes, among other items.

The police said the suspect and the recovered exhibits had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Bauchi, for further investigation and prosecution.

The Commissioner of Police in Bauchi State, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, commended the detectives involved in the arrest and urged members of the public, especially anyone who may have been a victim, to come forward with useful information to assist the investigation.