Police arrest 139 suspects, charge 64 in Niger State

The police have arrested 139 suspects and charged 64 of them after a crackdown on illegal gatherings, violent protests, thuggery, and other crimes in Suleja and Minna, Niger State.

The state command shared this news in a crime bulletin released on Friday by its spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun.

According to the police, these arrests happened after a violent rally in Suleja. Some people at the rally reportedly carried dangerous weapons, attacked, and robbed members of the public.

After these incidents, Abiodun said the Commissioner of Police, Adamu Elleman, sent the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) to Suleja on 4 August. The unit was led by Hassan Gimba.

The police reported that the team carried out sting operations at known criminal hideouts in Madalla, Kwata, Bakin-Ruwa, Dikko, Kaduna Road, Sabon-Wuse, Gwazunu, and Chaza. During these operations, they arrested 139 suspects.

The command said their investigation led to the identification of 64 suspects involved in criminal activities. The police found these suspects with items like suspected cannabis, dangerous weapons, scissors, knives, cutlasses, and four live cartridges.

The 64 suspects were taken to the Chief Magistrate Court in Suleja. They faced charges such as criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, aiding and abetting, harbouring suspected criminals, giving information to miscreants, causing disappearance of evidence, mischief, and possession of dangerous weapons.

According to the police, the suspects were remanded in a correctional center.