The National TaskForce to Combat Illegal Importation of Small Arms, Ammunition and Light Weapons (NATFORCE) has arrested a 22 years old robber, Jubril Abdulhameed, after rescuing him from an irate mob.

The incident was said to have happened in Karu, a suburb of Abuja, behind the residential quarters of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA).

Items recovered from the robber include knife, screwdriver and other sharp objects.

Abdulhameed‎, from Jigawa a State, had reportedly snatched the mobile phone from a teenager (names withheld) and also attempted stab him in his stomach butl the cry of his victim attracted passers-by.

Other members of the gang were said to have fled on motorcycles popularly called okada.

The mob thereafter descended on Abdulhameed‎, beating him mercilessly until some men of NATFORCE arrived and dispersed the crowd and rescued him.

The suspect, who confessed to the crime, told journalists that he had been robbed of his mobile phone the previous night and when he saw his victim with the type of his phone, he decided to rob him too.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Director of NATFORCE, Mr. Festus Omoakha, said the suspect has been handed over to the police in Karu for further investigation.

According to him, Abdulhameed ‎belonged to a four-man gang which had been terrorising the area, saying security operatives have commenced on the trail of the other suspects.

When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer in Karu, Tokunbo Afolabi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, said that the case was under investigation.

He said: “The Police Public Relations Officer came around and I have furnished him with all necessary information. We have commenced investigation; the culprit has been interrogated and it was confirmed that he was criminally liable. But then, the PPRO will give you update.”