Police nab 10 suspected robbers, thugs in Minna, recover weapons
Ten Arrested in Niger State Police Crackdown on Criminal Gangs
The Niger State Police Command has apprehended ten individuals suspected of robbery and gang-related activities in Minna. Authorities recovered dangerous weapons and suspected cannabis from the suspects during the operation.
The arrests were executed following intelligence-led patrols conducted by police in collaboration with local vigilante groups. Police Public Relations Officer SP Wasiu Abiodun announced on Friday that three suspects were caught attempting to rob passengers in a tricycle along the Kwari-Begger/Maitumbi axis of Minna.
The arrests occurred on June 4 while officers attached to the Tactical Support Team were on routine patrol. They observed a group of armed youths wielding cutlasses and knives, leading to the immediate apprehension of Sadiq Ibrahim, 25, Abdulazeez Ahmed, 25, and Ibrahim Abdullahi, 26, all residents of the Kwari-Begger area.
Authorities recovered two cutlasses and a jackknife from the suspects, who reportedly confessed they intended to rob passengers of their valuables.
In a separate operation, police operatives and vigilante members conducted raids on criminal hideouts in neighborhoods including PZ area, Sabon-Gari, Abdulsalam Quarters, Tayi Village, and Seyeno, resulting in the arrest of seven additional suspects. During this operation on June 2, two curved weapons and quantities of suspected cannabis were also seized.
Currently, all arrested individuals are in custody and undergoing further investigation. Abiodun also reported the arrest of a separate suspect, Abubakar Alfa, on June 1 for allegedly possessing a locally made pistol and a cutlass at a public function in Katcha. Alfa has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further inquiry.
Additionally, police recovered an abandoned Volkswagen vehicle with registration number KUJ 113 SB along the Suleja-Minna Road. According to Abiodun, the vehicle had been left near Farin-Doki for three days before police, with assistance from community members, transported it to the station for safekeeping and investigation.
The police command stated that efforts are underway to apprehend other members of the robbery syndicate and to investigate the circumstances surrounding the abandoned vehicle.
