The Jigawa State Police Command has rescued a 26-year-old suspected electricity transformer vandal from a mob attack in Auyo Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Lawan Shiisu Adam, disclosed this in a statement, identifying the suspect as Laminu Sha’aibu, a resident of Gumusuwa Village in Kafin Hausa Local Government Area.

According to the police, the suspect was arrested at Maskangayu Village in Auyo on September 29, 2026, after residents apprehended him with coils allegedly removed from an electricity transformer.

The police received information from Ayan Village at about 3.30 p.m. that the suspect had been caught and was at risk of being attacked by an angry mob.

Officers immediately responded to the report, rescued him and took him to a nearby primary healthcare centre for medical attention. He was treated and subsequently discharged, while the dismantled transformer coils were recovered.

Adam said the suspect admitted during interrogation that he had spent three nights dismantling the transformer without being detected.

He added that investigators were examining the circumstances surrounding the incident and working to establish whether other individuals were involved.

The police spokesperson confirmed that the suspect had been charged before a competent court for prosecution.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Jigawa State, CP Tijjani Murtala, commended residents for providing timely information that enabled officers to intervene and apprehend the suspect.

He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities, particularly those involving electricity installations and other public infrastructure.

The commissioner reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting public assets and ensuring that individuals found culpable of vandalism were brought to justice.

The police also stressed the importance of cooperation between residents and security agencies in preventing the destruction of critical infrastructure and maintaining public safety.