Police arrest 36 suspects in Niger State

The police have arrested a number of suspects in reference to alleged thuggery, ritual actions, transformer vandalism and tried livestock theft in completely different components of Niger State.

The arrests, in accordance with the police state command, adopted intelligence-led operations and intensified safety patrols aimed toward curbing legal actions and restoring public security.
In a criminal offense bulletin issued on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, stated seven suspects had been arrested on 29 October throughout an operation by the Anti-Thuggery Unit in Albishir, Minna, following reviews of incessant assaults round Gurara, Albishir and Gbeganu communities.

The suspects had been recognized as Abdullahi Hassan, 20; Shafiu Yahaya, 25; Mohammed Abdullahi, 26; Idris Bashir, 24; Idris Mohammed, 22; Alhassan Isyaku, 26; and Aliyu Isah, 27.

A search performed at their residences reportedly led to the restoration of a sword, cutlasses, a knife, suspected hashish and a cable.

Preliminary investigations linked the assaults to a reprisal arising from a violent confrontation at a celebration in Albishir in 2025, which reportedly resulted in the demise of 1 Sani Mohammed of Gurara.

The police stated youths from Gurara had allegedly deliberate retaliatory assaults, throughout which Alhassan Isyaku was attacked whereas enterprise furnishings work in Gurara.

Aliyu Isah additionally reportedly sustained deep cuts on his proper leg and accidents round his neck throughout the violence.

The suspects have been charged to court docket over alleged conspiracy, thuggery and inflicting grievous harm.

The command additionally reported the arrest of 11 suspects following a violent conflict between hoodlums from Kafintela and residents of Samande, Tunga, on October 16.

The incident, which concerned the alleged destruction of retailers and preventing, reportedly resulted in the demise of 1 individual from Kafintela.

Those arrested, aged between 15 and 25, had been recognized as Maikailu Yakubu, Badamasi Abdullahi, Yusuf Shafiu, Musa Umar, Sanusi Dauda, Sani Abdullahi, Umar Suleiman, Ibrahim Isah, Abdulrazak Yunusa, Sani Sadiq and Shuaibu Salisu.

The suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, for additional investigation and subsequently charged to court docket.

Similarly, 13 suspects had been arrested on October 18 throughout a joint operation by police operatives connected to Bosso Division and vigilante members following reported youth unrest between Angwan-Biri and Tudun-Fulani communities in Bosso.

Dangerous weapons had been reportedly recovered, whereas the suspects had been additionally charged to court docket.

In one other growth, the police arrested 5 individuals over alleged legal conspiracy, possession of legal charms, ill-treatment of home animals and membership of an illegal society.

Mr Abiodun stated the suspects had been arrested on 27 October at about 8:30 p.m. in Garima space of Minna following intelligence reviews about suspicious actions in an remoted compound.

The suspects had been recognized as Mohammed Idris Dogara, 57; Aliyu Sule, 25; Abubakar Abdullahi, 40; Ibrahim Mohammed Hamisu, 43; and Shehu Abubakar, 40, a local physician.

Items recovered on the scene included blood-stained pink and white clothes, 4 calabashes, two reside chickens, three slaughtered chickens, a blood-stained knife and a big mat.

According to the police, preliminary investigations indicated that 4 of the suspects had allegedly approached the native physician to carry out cash rituals utilizing a human skeleton reportedly found throughout mining actions.

The police alleged that the 4 males provided their organic kids as sacrifices in change for cash, however the native physician initially declined the request.

He was, nonetheless, stated to have directed them to buy chickens and assemble at a chosen location, the place the ritual would happen.

The suspects had been reportedly arrested throughout the alleged ritual train, with one in every of them allegedly discovered holding a blood-stained knife whereas the others had slaughtered their chickens.

The command stated the suspects had confessed to the allegations and had been present process additional investigation earlier than being charged to court docket.

On transformer vandalism, the police stated seven suspects had been arrested in separate operations in Minna and Lambata over alleged conspiracy, vandalism and theft of electrical energy cables.

One of the operations passed off on 28 October, when operatives of ‘A’ Division, Minna, arrested Hussain Innocent, 26, and Abubakar Rabiu, each residents of Railway Quarters, Minna.

The suspects allegedly confessed to vandalising electrical energy transformers in the Three-Arms Zone and different areas inside Minna.

They reportedly recognized Isyaku Muazu of Tudun-Natsira and Musa Haruna as alleged receivers of the stolen cables. A bolt cutter was recovered as an exhibit.

In a associated operation on 6 October, police operatives connected to Gawu-Babangida Division, working with vigilante members, arrested Haruna Musa, 26; Abdulsamad Abubakar, 25; and Salisu Aminu, 35, in Lambata.

The suspects had been allegedly discovered with vandalised cables, a bolt cutter, a knife and a torchlight.

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Police investigations reportedly revealed that the suspects used the instruments to take away three armoured cables from a transformer in the Kokogbe space of Lambata. They had been subsequently charged to court docket.

Meanwhile, the Command disclosed that one suspect had been arrested over alleged legal conspiracy, membership of a gang of thieves, tried goat theft and screening of offenders.

The suspect, recognized as Adamu Abubakar, popularly referred to as Yellow, was arrested on 26 October following a report that two unidentified males travelling in a Mazda car with registration quantity KNT 38 AG and tinted home windows had been allegedly scouting for goats to steal round Angwan-Kampani.

Community members reportedly pursued the car to the suspect’s residence behind Tipper Garage, Maitumbi, the place the occupants deserted it and escaped.

Police investigations recognized Adamu Abubakar because the proprietor of the car. He allegedly advised investigators that the motive force, recognized as Danlami and residing in Korokpan, had taken the car on an errand however failed to provide him for questioning.

The police stated the suspect was subsequently charged to court docket and remanded at a correctional centre.

The command assured residents that safety operations, intelligence gathering and visibility patrols would proceed throughout the state to forestall crime and apprehend perpetrators.