Operatives of the Niger State Police Command, in conjunction with members of the vigilante groups have arrested 24 thuggery and armed robbery suspects in the state.
The arrest of the suspects was made possible during a sting operation carried out in Minna metropolis as part of the command’s efforts to rid the state of the menace of thuggery, armed robbery and other social vices.
According to a statement by the Niger State Police Command Spokesman, SP Wasiu Abiodun, operatives of the anti thuggery unit, in the course of its operations that started at about 300 am hrs to 500hrs am from Angwan Roka, Kwari, Berger, Flamingo and Tudun under Maitumbi area where the following suspects were arrested, Abubakar Nura, 23 years, of Angwan Roka, Auwal Mohammed, 20 years, Angwan Roka, Suleiman Hassan,21 years, Angwan Roka, Alhassan Mohammed, 19 years, Maitumbi.
Abiodun explained that the suspects were arrested in a residence where one notorious gang leader Saidu Umar Namaska has been using as his hide out but currently at large.
He said a search was carried out in the house by the police operatives and the following exhibits were recovered, one automatic pump gun with two live cartridges, one bolt cutter, cultlasses, scissors, shisha pots and other illicit substances.
Other suspects arrested during the operation, according to the Spokesman are Usman Abubakar Bahago, 18 years, Maitumbi, Abubakar Sadiq, 24 years, Angwan Roka.
Also a number of miscreants were equally arrested in another house where one Sudaise, another gang leader used to assemble his escapades
Among these included Jemilu Ibrahim, 23 years of Berger junction, Jemilu Ilisayu,16 years of Kwari Berger, these two suspects we’re found in a shop and during an attempt of arrest they threatened the security team with knife as they tried to escape through the rooftop, cultalasses and knife were found under their bed
The spokesman of Niger state police command in the statement however disclosed further that 11 others were also arrested in different locations in the early hours of that faithful day of the operations.
He said that all suspects are under investigation while efforts are in progress to arrest other members of the gang
Meanwhile, the commissioner of police, Adamu Abdullahi Eleman have assured the members of the public that the command under his leadership would continue to be proactive in tackling crimes in the state and urged Nigerlites and residents in the state to support the police by given them useful information of any form of crimes and criminalities within their areas for prompt action.