Police smash robbery, kidnapping gang in Niger

The Niger State Police Command has smashed a gang of armed robbers and kidnappers who have been terrorising citizens in parts of the state in recent times. Prior to the arrest of one of the four-man robbery gang, at about 10.00 p.m. last Wednesday, the hoodlums  had invaded a supermarket at Diko, a community in Gurara Local Government Area of the state.

Metro, however, gathered that no sooner thangangsters invaded the supermarket that a distress call was made to the police by some concerned citizens in the area.

It  was further learnt that on receipt of the call, the command’s Special Anti- Robbery Squad      (SARS)mobilised to the scene and one Kingsley (surname withheld), who claimed to be an indigene  of Enugu State, was arrested by the police.

Further checks revealed that during the confusion that enveloped the supermarket upon the arrival of the police Anti-Robbery Squad and the arrest of one of the robbery gang, while the remaining three members of the suspected men of the underworld escaped arrest by the police as they fled the scene.

An insider police source told Metro that when a search was conducted on the suspect, a locally-made rifle was recovered from him.

The reliable source, who begged for anonymity, stated further that police were still on the trail of the fleeing robbery suspect, with the view to getting them arrested for prosecution alongside the arrested member of the gang, while the case was still under investigation.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bala Elkana, confirmed the incident on Sunday in Minna, the state capital.

He stated further that the police had commenced further investigation into the two cases, while assuring that as soon as investigation was concluded in the case, the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution.