Niger: Police clarify viral claims on Mokwa kidnap case

The Niger State Police Command has debunked a trending video circulating on social media, in which a vigilante head from Mokwa Local Government Area of the state alleged that five suspected kidnappers were arrested but only three were prosecuted.

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the Command clarified that the suspects in question were involved in two separate criminal cases and were duly charged to court.

The statement, made available to journalists on Wednesday in Minna, identified the suspects as Mohammed Dansajo, Mohammed Dangi of Kara Village, Abubakar Usman Abule of Kara-Jebba, Mohammed Umar, and Usman Abubakar of Tunga-Ruwa Village, all in the Mokwa axis.

According to the statement, the first three suspects—Dansajo, Dangi, and Abubakar—were arrested in connection with a kidnapping incident that occurred on March 14, 2024.

Armed men had stormed a shop at Sawmill, Mokwa, and abducted a victim. The investigation led to the recovery of two mobile phones and a live cartridge at the scene.

“Analysis of the recovered phones led to the arrest of Mohammed Dansajo, who confessed to the crime and implicated others, including Mohammed Dangi and Abubakar Usman,” the statement read.

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Further investigations, according to the PPRO, led to the arrest of the mentioned suspects, highlighting that three others remain at large.

The syndicate had reportedly collected a ransom of N3 million before releasing the victim. The suspects were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court 1 and later reassigned to Court 7 in Minna for prosecution.

The statement noted that the other two suspects, Mohammed Umar and Usman Abubakar, were involved in a separate case of conspiracy, kidnapping, and robbery. Their case was referred to the police by the Magistrate Court in Jebba on May 2, 2024.

SP Abiodun stated that Umar had lured a motorcyclist from New-Garage Kara to an undisclosed location. The victim did not return home, and his phone was later found in the possession of Usman Abubakar.

Both suspects were subsequently charged with conspiracy, kidnapping, and robbery at the Magistrate Court, Jebba.

The police emphasized that the five suspects were never involved in a single case, as falsely claimed in the viral video.

The Command therefore urged the public to always verify facts before sharing unverified information capable of misleading the public and undermining police efforts.