Police nab 12 suspects linked to kidnapping and other crimes

The police in Niger State have arrested 12 suspects for different crimes.

These crimes include kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, motorcycle theft, thuggery, and having illegal drugs.

The state police command shared this information in a crime report from its spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun.

The report says the arrests took place between August 22 and 25 across various locations in the state.

Kidnapping and murder

On August 23, police arrested three suspects after getting a tip-off about a group pretending to be a “Yansakai Vigilante” in Uraga village, Mariga Local Government Area. They were accused of kidnapping and armed robbery.

The suspects are Alhassan Tanko, 25; Basiru Shaibu, 26; and Ishaya Umar, 28. All three are from Beri in Mariga Local Government Area.

The police surveillance team from the Kontagora Area Command made the arrests based on this information.

“During questioning, the suspects admitted that they and four others formed a gang under the name of a Yansakai vigilante group to kidnap and rob,” the report said.

The police also claimed the suspects confessed to killing at least three people in Mariga during their kidnapping activities and stealing their motorcycles.

Investigations revealed that the stolen motorcycles were allegedly sold to a man named Awalu from Beri.

A search of the suspects’ homes led to the recovery of one pump-action rifle.

The police said they are still working to catch Awalu and other members of the suspected gang.