The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, disclosed this on Friday in a statement made available to journalists.

He said the deceased was caught for allegedly stealing seven watermelons valued at N2,000 from farm in Dallaji village, Tudin Wada ward, in the Warji Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

Wakil, a Superintendent of Police, said, “On March 29, 2023, around 10am, one Ado Sanya (40), of Dallaji village, Tudun Wada ward, Warji LGA, reported at Warji Divisional Police Headquarters that on the same date, around 1.20am, one Ibrahim Hashimu criminally trespassed into the farmland of one Mohammed Garba, of the same address and stole some watermelonsHis hands were tied with a rope as he was beaten with sticks by Mohammad Daluta (24); Ibrahim Mahmud (22); Bashir Mahmud (18); and Abdullahi Mahmud (22); all males of the same address.

“On receiving the report, a team of detectives was quickly drafted to the scene and evacuated the victim to Warji General Hospital for medical attention, from where they were referred to the Cottage Hospital, Gwaram LGA, Jigawa State, where he was certified dead by a medical doctor.