Following several complaints of assault, theft and raids by individuals in school attire within the premises of the Petou Bilingual Institute, the Discipline Master of the college informed the First Gendarmerie Region. Elements of the Criminal Investigation Service and Fight Against Organized Crime of the Gendarmerie First Region immediately launched an investigation.
The investigation led to the arrest of a gang leader on Monday, November 10, 2025, in the Odza neighbourhood. During his Interrogation, the 16-year-old suspect and ex-convict admitted being a leader of a gang of drug traffickers that terrorise the Awae neighbourhood. His confession enabled the Gendarmes to lay hands on his five accomplices on the night of wednesday, november 12, 2025 at the place called l’Amitiรฉ’ round-about in the neighbourhoods of Mvan and Ekiรฉ. The search of their homes resulted in the seizure of cannabis and other psychotropic products as well as school items.
Lieutenant OBAMA ADOUMOU Aloys Lรฉonel, Head of the Monitoring and Statistics Office at the SRJ/BLCB of the First Gendarmerie Region, posited that this gang of dealers, aged 16-21, including two ex-convicts, disguise as students of this institute of learning in order to have their way into the classrooms. Once in the classrooms, they assault students, sell narcotics, and recruit potential business partners. The Officer equally noted that a member of the gang is a leader of ‘land’, an area noted for drug trafficking and consumption, where they equally rub students of their belongings on their way back from school.
According to some victims, these dealers also attack students in classrooms and threaten those who don’t cooperate. Another victim complained that they took his telephone and contacted her relatives to ask for money. The suspects even threaten to kidnap and kill the students if they refuse to cooperate.
The suspects, two of whom are ex-convicts, will be brought before the court.
