Police arrest 30 suspects for thuggery in Niger during Maulud
Police arrest 30 suspects for thuggery in Niger during Maulud
The Niger State Police Command has arrested 30 suspects during the Maulud procession in Minna for alleged involvement in thuggery and other related crimes.
The suspects were picked up on Saturday, between 7am and 9pm in different locations across the state capital, including Angwan-Sarki, Limawa, Angwan-Daji, New-Market, Sabon-Gari, Kuta Road, Obasanjo Complex, Ogbomosho Street, Lagos Street and the Central Roundabout.
A statement issued on Monday by the Command’s spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, said some of those arrested were,”Abdullahi Ibrahim of Keterengwari, Zahradeen Ibrahim (a.k.a Lagos boy) of Lagos Street, Dauda Usman of 123 Quarters, Abubakar Ibrahim of Kpakungu, Bashir Safiyanu of Sabon-Gari, Ashiru Rabiu of Barkin-Saleh, Abba Musa of Angwan-Mahuta, and Mohammed Abubakar of Kuta Road, and others.”
Exhibits recovered from the suspects included three knives, three cutlasses, one iron rod, scissors, cannabis, shisha apparatus, and other illicit chemical substances.
“All suspects are under investigation and they will be charged to court for thuggery,” Abiodun said.
In a separate operation, the police also intercepted one Muhammad Usman of Guiye-Doko village, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Friday, in Makera town.
He was reportedly arrested with two locally fabricated guns and six rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.
“During interrogation, he confessed that he came from Kwara and purchased the arms in Soba village via Kaboji, Mashegu LGA, at the rate of one hundred and eighty thousand naira each, and the ammunition at five thousand naira each from a yet to be identified person,” the statement read.
Abiodun said investigation was ongoing while efforts were being intensified to identify and arrest the arms fabricator.
Minna, Niger State’s capital, has long faced security challenges during major public gatherings.
Violent clashes among youth gangs,particularly in flashpoints like Limawa, Kuta Road, and Chanchaga, have frequently marred events, causing injuries and even deaths.
In response, the state government introduced curfews on commercial motorcycles and tricycles to curb rising street crime, including phone snatching and armed robberies.
More assertively, Governor Umaru Bago declared a “shoot-at-sight” emergency order in April 2024, demanding zero tolerance for any thug found disrupting public order.
Authorities also enlisted community leaders, directing Mai-Angwas to identify and report perpetrators, emphasising that failure to do so would result in punitive actions.
