Cross-over night: Police arrest 23 suspects over thuggery, armed robbery in Niger

The Niger State Police Command has said that no fewer than about 23 suspects have been arrested in parts of Minna, the state capital, over the allegation of cross-over night thuggery and armed robbery.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, stated this in a crime bulletin issued and made available to journalists on Wednesday evening in Minna, stressing that  “in a proactive effort of the Niger State Police Command to ensure a peaceful cross-over celebration into the New Year, the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, CP Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamman, had earlier directed Area Commanders and DPOs to ensure adequate deployment and visibility of assets and personnel to strategic locations within the city.”

The statement added that “Based on this proactive effort, on 1/01/2025 at about 1245am, DPO GRA Div led Patrol teams with Crack Squad in a clamp-down effort against suspected miscreants to Fadikpe Junction and Dutsen-Kura Junction Minna, where some irate thugs were found burning tyres and fighting among themselves with dangerous weapons at the early hours of the day”.

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According to Abiodun, During this operation, twenty-three (23) suspects were arrested with dangerous weapons, they are: Shehu Ibrahim 18yrs, Bilyaminu Moh’d 20yrs, Suleiman Ibrahim, Zakaria Moh’d, Jamilu Auwal, Abdullahi Sani, Abubakar Bello, Yahaya Aminu, Mudasiru Auwal, Zaiyanu Nafiu, Anas Salisu, Nuhu Usman, Moh’d Abubakar, Shamsu Auwal, Zulkifulu Yakubu, Hassan Haruna, Moh’d Alhassan, Usman Adamu, Ibrahim Umar, Muktar Umar, Sadiq Moh’d, Bashar Moh’d, and Abubakar Sani..

It was further highlighted that the suspects were said to have been arrested with suspected cannabis, swords, knives, sticks, stones, iron rods, charms, scissors, tobacco, military shorts, rolling rizla, and other hard drugs.

The PPRO, however, assured that all suspects are under investigation in GRA Div and will be charged to court immediately for prosecution after the investigation has been concluded by Police operatives.