Niger police raid criminal dens, arrest dozens in statewide operations

The Niger State Police Command has intensified its campaign against thuggery, youth restiveness and other criminal activities, leading to the arrest of 46 suspects in a series of coordinated operations across Suleja and Minna.

The arrests, which followed intelligence-led raids and investigations, also resulted in the recovery of illicit substances, dangerous weapons, stolen property and other exhibits linked to criminal activities.

A crime bulletin signed by Wasiu Abiodun, the Police Public Relations Officer, stated that the operations form part of the Command’s sustained efforts to restore public order and rid communities of criminal elements.

26 Arrested in Suleja

The largest operation was carried out by operatives of the ‘D’ Division, Maje, who stormed suspected criminal hideouts within Mallam Auwal Ibrahim Market, Kwamba, and surrounding areas in Suleja on June 2.

The raid, conducted between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. based on credible intelligence, led to the arrest of 26 suspects believed to be involved in thuggery and related criminal activities.

Read also: INEC seeks police support on election security in Niger

The suspects include; Abubakar Aliyu 21yrs, Abubakar Abdullahi 23yrs, Abdurahaman Abdulhamid 19yrs ,Mohammed Suleiman 24yrs
,Zahardeen Umar 20yrs, Umar Rabiu 20yrs, Bilyaminu Yakubu 23yrs, Auwal Nura 19yrs, Umar Sani 24yrs, Salisu Usman 25yrs, Ahmed Yusuf 26yrs, Badamasi Umaru 23yrs, Usman Abdullahi 19yrs, Zakari Ibrahim 23yrs, Ibrahim Umar 28yrs, and Abdullahi Adamu 24yrs.

Others are; Abba Abubakar 18yrs, Usman Haruna 19yrs, Abubakar Bello 26yrs, Murtala Aliyu 17yrs, Adamu Aminu 20yrs, Saminu Usman 19yrs, Hassan Safiyanu 23yrs, Bello Lawal 17yrs, Yakubu Musa 27yrs, and Nuhu Ahmed 23yrs.

During the operation, police recovered 38 wraps of suspected cannabis, nine wraps of suspected marijuana, four machetes, an axe, a jackknife and charms.

The suspects are currently in custody undergoing interrogation and are expected to be prosecuted upon the conclusion of investigations.

Six Nabbed Over Deadly Kpakungu Violence

In a related development, police arrested six suspects in connection with violent clashes that erupted in the Kpakungu area of Minna following the Eid-el-Kabir festivities.

They are; Nura Abubakar 20yrs of Katsina State, Sufyanu Adamu 20yrs of Katsina State, Yunusa Ibrahim 18yrs of Niger State, Yahuza Abdullahi 30yrs of Sokoto State, Aliyu Abdulhamid 20yrs of Bauchi State, and Musa Abubakar 18yrs of Sokoto State.

The clashes, reportedly involving rival youth groups from Kutirko and Kulogbe communities, resulted in the deaths of two persons.

Police said the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation aimed at identifying and apprehending other participants in the violence.

The command also confirmed the arrest of an 18-year-old suspect linked to a viral video in which threats of renewed violence were allegedly issued against residents of Gurara, Albishir and Gbeganu communities.

Investigators say efforts are underway to arrest additional suspects identified during interrogation.

Two Arrested for Extortion, Public Disturbance

Operatives of the GRA Division in Minna also arrested two suspected hoodlums accused of terrorising residents of Fadikpe and Dutsen-Kura Gwari communities.

The suspects were allegedly sighted wielding dangerous weapons, including cutlasses, sticks and swords, while extorting members of the public and dispossessing them of their mobile phones.

Police intervention prevented one of the suspects from being lynched by an angry mob.

The two suspects are currently being interrogated, while efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest their accomplices.

Stolen Phones Recovered Through Technology

In another breakthrough, police detectives in Maje Division uncovered a phone theft syndicate after students in Kwamba reported the disappearance of four mobile phones while they attended evening prayers at a mosque.

Using technical intelligence, investigators traced one of the stolen devices to a suspect, whose arrest led to the apprehension of three other members of the group.

Police recovered three of the four stolen phones and disclosed that the suspected receiver confessed to purchasing the devices for N55,000 before taking them to Kaduna State. The case remains under investigation.

Security Guard Implicated in Boutique Burglary

Meanwhile, detectives have arrested two suspects in connection with a boutique burglary in Kwamba that resulted in the theft of clothing, shoes and other merchandise valued at about N360,000.

The breakthrough came after the shop owner allegedly spotted one of the suspects wearing some of the stolen items.

Investigations led to the arrest of a security guard attached to the shop, who was also a member of a local vigilante group.

A search of his premises reportedly led to the recovery of the stolen goods, alongside a military headgear, a stolen handset and other valuables whose ownership he could not explain.

Police said the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

Sustained Offensive Against Crime

The latest arrests underscore the Niger State Police Command’s determination to curb youth violence, organised street crime and property-related offences across the state.

The command urged residents to continue to provide timely and credible information to security agencies, assuring that ongoing operations would be sustained to ensure the safety of lives and property.