Police Arrest 36 Suspects in Niger State for Various Crimes

The police have arrested several suspects linked to thuggery, ritual activities, transformer vandalism, and attempted livestock theft in different areas of Niger State.

The police command said these arrests came after intelligence-led operations and increased security patrols aimed at stopping crime and ensuring public safety.

In a crime bulletin released on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, stated that seven suspects were arrested on 29 October during an operation by the Anti-Thuggery Unit in Albishir, Minna. This followed reports of ongoing attacks in Gurara, Albishir, and Gbeganu communities.

The suspects are Abdullahi Hassan, 20; Shafiu Yahaya, 25; Mohammed Abdullahi, 26; Idris Bashir, 24; Idris Mohammed, 22; Alhassan Isyaku, 26; and Aliyu Isah, 27. A search of their homes reportedly led to the recovery of a sword, cutlasses, a knife, suspected cannabis, and a cable.

Preliminary investigations linked these attacks to a revenge plan from a violent incident at a party in Albishir in 2025. This incident reportedly caused the death of Sani Mohammed from Gurara. The police said youths from Gurara allegedly planned to retaliate, leading to an attack on Alhassan Isyaku while he was working on furniture in Gurara.

Aliyu Isah also suffered deep cuts on his right leg and injuries around his neck during the violence. The suspects have been charged to court with conspiracy, thuggery, and causing grievous hurt.

The police also arrested 11 suspects after a violent clash between hoodlums from Kafintela and residents of Samande on 16 October. This incident involved destroying shops and fighting, which led to the death of one person from Kafintela.

The arrested suspects, aged between 15 and 25, are Maikailu Yakubu, Badamasi Abdullahi, Yusuf Shafiu, Musa Umar, Sanusi Dauda, Sani Abdullahi, Umar Suleiman, Ibrahim Isah, Abdulrazak Yunusa, Sani Sadiq, and Shuaibu Salisu. They were taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further investigation and later charged to court.

In another case, 13 suspects were arrested on 18 October during a joint operation by police from Bosso Division and vigilante groups. This action followed reported youth unrest between Angwan-Biri and Tudun-Fulani communities in Bosso. Dangerous weapons were recovered, and the suspects were also charged to court.

The police arrested five more people for alleged criminal conspiracy, possession of charms, mistreatment of animals, and being part of an unlawful group. Mr Abiodun said these suspects were caught on 27 October around 8:30 p.m. in the Garima area of Minna after receiving reports about suspicious activities in a secluded compound.

The suspects are Mohammed Idris Dogara, 57; Aliyu Sule, 25; Abubakar Abdullahi, 40; Ibrahim Mohammed Hamisu, 43; and Shehu Abubakar, 40, a native doctor. Items found at the scene included blood-stained clothing, four calabashes, two live chickens, three slaughtered chickens, a bloody knife, and a large mat.

According to the police, initial investigations showed that four of the suspects had approached the native doctor to perform money rituals using a human skeleton found during mining activities. The police claimed that these men offered their children as sacrifices in exchange for money, but the native doctor initially refused.

He later directed them to buy chickens and meet at a specific location for the ritual. The suspects were arrested during this alleged ritual, with one holding a bloody knife while the others had slaughtered their chickens. The police stated the suspects confessed to the allegations and are under further investigation before facing court.

On transformer vandalism, the police arrested seven suspects in separate operations in Minna and Lambata for conspiracy, vandalism, and theft of electricity cables. One operation on 28 October led to the arrest of Hussain Innocent, 26, and Abubakar Rabiu, both living in Railway Quarters, Minna.

They reportedly confessed to vandalizing transformers in the Three-Arms Zone and other areas in Minna. They named Isyaku Muazu of Tudun-Natsira and Musa Haruna as alleged buyers of the stolen cables. A bolt cutter was found as evidence.

In a related operation on 6 October, police from Gawu-Babangida Division, with vigilante members, arrested Haruna Musa, 26; Abdulsamad Abubakar, 25; and Salisu Aminu, 35, in Lambata. They were found with vandalized cables, a bolt cutter, a knife, and a torchlight.

Police investigations showed that these suspects used their tools to remove three armored cables from a transformer in the Kokogbe area of Lambata. They were later charged to court.

The Command also reported that one suspect was arrested for criminal conspiracy, being part of a gang of thieves, attempted goat theft, and hiding offenders. The suspect, Adamu Abubakar, also known as Yellow, was arrested on 26 October after reports of two unidentified men in a Mazda vehicle scouting for goats to steal around Angwan-Kampani.

Community members chased the vehicle to the suspect's home behind Tipper Garage, Maitumbi, where the occupants fled. Police investigations found that Adamu Abubakar owned the vehicle. He told investigators that the driver, named Danlami from Korokpan, took the vehicle for an errand but did not return for questioning.

The police said the suspect was charged to court and taken to a correctional center. The command assured residents that security operations, intelligence gathering, and patrols will continue across the state to prevent crime and catch criminals.