The Bauchi State Police Command has rescued 17 minors allegedly involved in the abuse of rubber solution and arrested two men suspected of supplying the substance to them in Bauchi metropolis.
The operation began after a concerned resident apprehended eight minors allegedly inhaling rubber solution at Adamu Jumba Street, Bauchi, around 10 pm on November 5, 2026, and handed them over to the police.
Following the incident, police operatives conducted another operation later that night at the Wunti Flyover area, where nine additional minors were rescued, bringing the total number of rescued children to 17.
The Command’s spokesperson, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed that information obtained from the minors led to the arrest of two suspected suppliers during a follow-up operation on November 6.
The suspects were identified as 41-year-old Chimezie Ezikiel Nathan, from Yelwan Makaranta area, and 25-year-old Sani Ali, from Muda Lawan Market, both in Bauchi.
Police said 12 packs of rubber solution were recovered from the suspects during a search.
The statement noted that the rescued minors had been placed in protective custody, while efforts were ongoing to locate their parents and guardians for possible reunification.
It added that the suspects remained in police custody as investigations continued to identify other individuals allegedly involved in the supply network.
The Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, praised the resident who alerted the authorities, describing the act of exposing children to drugs for financial gain as wicked, shameful and unacceptable.
He stressed that no child should be exposed to drugs and warned that the police would intensify efforts to arrest and prosecute those involved in supplying illicit substances to minors.
The commissioner also urged parents, guardians, teachers, religious leaders and community stakeholders to pay closer attention to children’s activities and report suspicious behaviour to the authorities.
He assured residents that the Command would sustain its crackdown on drug peddling and child exploitation, particularly in identified hotspots across the state.