Police arrest 36 suspects in Niger State

The police have arrested several suspects in connection with alleged thuggery, ritual activities, transformer vandalism and attempted livestock theft in different parts of Niger State.

The arrests, according to the police state command, followed intelligence-led operations and intensified security patrols aimed at curbing criminal activities and restoring public safety.
In a crime bulletin issued on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, said seven suspects were arrested on 29 October during an operation by the Anti-Thuggery Unit in Albishir, Minna, following reports of incessant attacks around Gurara, Albishir and Gbeganu communities.

The suspects were identified 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 conducted at their residences reportedly led to the recovery of a sword, cutlasses, a knife, suspected cannabis and a cable.

Preliminary investigations linked the attacks to a reprisal arising from a violent confrontation at a party in Albishir in 2025, which reportedly resulted in the death of one Sani Mohammed of Gurara.

The police said youths from Gurara had allegedly planned retaliatory attacks, during which Alhassan Isyaku was attacked while undertaking furniture work in Gurara.

Aliyu Isah also reportedly sustained deep cuts on his right leg and injuries around his neck during the violence.

The suspects have been charged to court over alleged conspiracy, thuggery and causing grievous hurt.

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

The incident, which involved the alleged destruction of shops and fighting, reportedly resulted in the death of one person from Kafintela.

Those arrested, aged between 15 and 25, were identified 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 were transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, for further investigation and subsequently charged to court.

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

Dangerous weapons were reportedly recovered, while the suspects were also charged to court.

In another development, the police arrested five persons over alleged criminal conspiracy, possession of criminal charms, ill-treatment of domestic animals and membership of an unlawful society.

Mr Abiodun said the suspects were arrested on 27 October at about 8:30 p.m. in Garima area of Minna following intelligence reports about suspicious activities in an isolated compound.

The suspects were identified as Mohammed Idris Dogara, 57; Aliyu Sule, 25; Abubakar Abdullahi, 40; Ibrahim Mohammed Hamisu, 43; and Shehu Abubakar, 40, a native doctor.

Items recovered at the scene included blood-stained red and white clothing, four calabashes, two live chickens, three slaughtered chickens, a blood-stained knife and a large mat.

According to the police, preliminary investigations indicated that four of the suspects had allegedly approached the native doctor to perform money rituals using a human skeleton reportedly discovered during mining activities.

The police alleged that the four men offered their biological children as sacrifices in exchange for money, but the native doctor initially declined the request.

He was, however, said to have directed them to purchase chickens and assemble at a designated location, where the ritual would take place.

The suspects were reportedly arrested during the alleged ritual exercise, with one of them allegedly found holding a blood-stained knife while the others had slaughtered their chickens.

The command said the suspects had confessed to the allegations and were undergoing further investigation before being charged to court.

On transformer vandalism, the police said seven suspects were arrested in separate operations in Minna and Lambata over alleged conspiracy, vandalism and theft of electricity cables.

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

The suspects allegedly confessed to vandalising electricity transformers in the Three-Arms Zone and other locations within Minna.

They reportedly identified 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 related operation on 6 October, police operatives attached to Gawu-Babangida Division, working with vigilante members, arrested Haruna Musa, 26; Abdulsamad Abubakar, 25; and Salisu Aminu, 35, in Lambata.

The suspects were allegedly found with vandalised cables, a bolt cutter, a knife and a torchlight.

READ ALSO: FACT-CHECK: Did UNICEF predict Niger State will not have boys in Grade 7/JSS1 by 2027?

Police investigations reportedly revealed that the suspects used the tools to remove three armoured cables from a transformer in the Kokogbe area of Lambata. They were subsequently charged to court.

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

The suspect, identified as Adamu Abubakar, popularly known as Yellow, was arrested on 26 October following a report that two unidentified men travelling in a Mazda vehicle with registration number KNT 38 AG and tinted windows were allegedly scouting for goats to steal around Angwan-Kampani.

Community members reportedly pursued the vehicle to the suspect’s residence behind Tipper Garage, Maitumbi, where the occupants abandoned it and escaped.

Police investigations identified Adamu Abubakar as the owner of the vehicle. He allegedly told investigators that the driver, identified as Danlami and residing in Korokpan, had taken the vehicle on an errand but failed to produce him for questioning.

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

The command assured residents that security operations, intelligence gathering and visibility patrols would continue across the state to prevent crime and apprehend perpetrators.