Three suspected armed bandits arrested, 15 abducted victims rescued by police 

Three suspected bandits are now cooling their heels in the police cells in Minna, Niger State. They are currently assisting police investigators about their involvement in criminal activities in parts of the state prior to their arrest by the police tactical teams attached to Lapai LGA of the state in conjunction with some vigilante members.

The arrest of the three suspected bandits identified as Aliyu Mohammed Dauda aged 19 years, Wada Usman Shehu aged 20 years, both male of Maikunkele and Mohammed Shehu Abubakar aged 19 years male of Mayaki village, Lapai, was a result of the ongoing security agencies’ onslaught against banditry and other criminality in Niger State.

The spokesman of the State Police Command DSP Wasiu Abiodun, in a press statement issued and made available to the newsmen over the weekend in Minna, said that on 11/05/2022 at about 1330hrs, information was received that suspected armed bandits were sighted at Agigi/Kpashimi forest via Lapai LGA.

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The statement added that the police tactical team attached to Lapai Division,  with vigilante members were mobilized to the area where the bandits were engaged in gun duel and overpowered by the tactical team, while some of the hoodlums escaped into the forest with bullet injuries.

Consequently, three suspects among the bandits were arrested, and Fifteen victims( 15) abducted by the hoodlums were rescued from the forest,.stressing that two burnt motorcycles were equally recovered from their camp.

However, the Image Maker of the state Police Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, assured that the case is under investigation, while effort is ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang. 

The statement said the suspects will be arraigned in court for prosecution after an investigation.

In another development, the statement noted that on 12/05/2022 at about 09:30hrs, some gunmen suspected to be armed bandits attempted to invade Maraban Dan-Daudu in Munya LGA  and Jiko villages via Gwada, Shiroro LGA

It stated further that the Joint Security team were quickly deployed to the area, with vigilante members, while responding to the distress call adding that the Joint Security team in collaboration with the vigilante members engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel which lasted for several hours.

“As a result of this, the bandits were repelled as most of the hoodlums escaped into the forest with bullet injuries after they suffered some casualties”, said the PPRO, Wasiu Abiodun, a DSP

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Monday Bala Kuryas, has commended the efforts of the tactical teams and urged them to sustain the momentum towards curtailing banditry in the state.