The Niger State Police Command has recovered an AK-47 rifle and ammunition while arresting 16 suspects in connection with criminal activities in the state. Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said the recovery was made on August 15, 2026, at about 7:30 p.m., following credible intelligence on bandits’ movements around Krusha-Genu village in Rijau Local Government Area.
The Niger State Police Command has recovered an AK-47 rifle, 19 rounds of live ammunition, two magazines, and 55 rounds of GPMG ammunition during sustained joint clearance operations against banditry and other criminal activities across the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement, saying the recovery was made on August 15, 2026, at about 7:30 p.m., following credible intelligence on bandits’ movements around Krusha-Genu village in Rijau Local Government Area.
According to him, a tactical team led by the Divisional Police Officer, Rijau, mobilised to the location and recovered the rifle, a magazine loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition, another empty magazine and 55 rounds of GPMG ammunition allegedly abandoned along the bandits’ routes.
He said the exhibits were in police custody for forensic examination while joint clearance operations had been intensified.
The PPRO also disclosed that the Command had arrested four suspects in connection with the alleged killing of 30-year-old Sunday Pada of Gogala Village, Shiroro, who was reportedly beaten and stabbed to death at Korokpan area of Minna on August 10.
He said the suspects—Ibrahim Abubakar, Aliyu Onah, Godwin Musa and Aminu Bawa, all of Korokpan—were linked to the incident after they were initially taken into custody by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) during a raid in the area.
The suspects are currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, for criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.
According to the statement, the Command also arrested three suspected members of a syndicate allegedly involved in stealing goats and other animals within the Gidan-Kwano area of Minna.
The suspects, Danlami Ali, 45; Sabastine Masangu, 49; and Masaud Abdullahi, 35, were arrested on August 11 after police operatives and vigilantes intercepted a black Volkswagen vehicle, registration number RSH 151 RE, following intelligence on its suspected involvement in criminal activities. Animal skins suspected to have been stolen were recovered from the vehicle.
The Police further reported the arrest of four suspects accused of criminal conspiracy and extortion after allegedly luring a man from Kano to Minna with a fake job offer.
The victim was reportedly taken to a house at Farm Centre, where the suspects allegedly demanded N200,000 from him for an online investment. When he resisted, the suspects allegedly intimidated and assaulted him before he escaped during prayer time and was intercepted by police operatives.
The suspects—Ringim Magaji, Umar Laduwa, Bashir Abdullahi and Ibrahim Bello—are undergoing further investigation at the SCID, Minna.
The Command also said it arrested a suspected member of a gang allegedly stealing goods from trucks along the Mokwa axis.
SP Abiodun noted that the hoodlums were sighted on August 13 offloading cartons of spaghetti from a parked truck into a Sharon vehicle at Kpaki Village, after the truck driver alerted a police patrol team.
The suspects fled on sighting the police, but Ibrahim Mohammed of Mararaba Nyanya, Abuja, was arrested.
Police also recovered cartons of Nestle beverages from a house at Lafiagi Village along the Mokwa-Jebba Road, where Abdulhakeem Sani was arrested in connection with the suspected theft.
In another development, the Police arrested Mohammed Hassan, also known as Omale, 20, over the alleged theft of truck spare parts worth N600,000 from a shop at Kaduna Road.
The suspect reportedly confessed to the crime and named six other alleged accomplices. Police said the stolen items were recovered and that further investigation was ongoing to apprehend other suspects before prosecution.
The Command also foiled the alleged theft of two 1,000KVA transformers from the Federal Housing Estate, Tungan-Shanu, following a distress call on August 16.
A Hijet vehicle driven by Bilyaminu Jibrin, 28, was intercepted along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway with the stolen transformers. Further investigation led to the arrest of Yahaya Nepa, 53, who allegedly confessed to purchasing the transformers from the estate security personnel for N750,000 each.
Another security guard, Samuel Adedeji, was also arrested, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other suspects linked to the case.
The Niger State Police Command added that all the suspects and recovered exhibits were in custody as investigations continued, assuring residents that sustained intelligence-led and joint operations would be maintained across the state to dismantle criminal networks, recover illegal arms and stolen property, and ensure that suspects were brought before the court for prosecution.
