The police in Niger State have arrested 12 suspects in connection with various criminal offences. The alleged offences include kidnapping, armed robbery, culpable homicide, motorcycle theft, thuggery and possession of illicit substances. The police state command disclosed this in a crime bulletin issued by its spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun. According to the statement, the arrests were made between 22 and 25 August in different parts of the state.
The police said three suspects were arrested on 23 August following intelligence that a group operating under the guise of a “Yansakai Vigilante” group in Uraga village, Mariga Local Government Area, was allegedly involved in kidnapping and armed robbery. The suspects were identified as Alhassan Tanko, 25; Basiru Shaibu, 26; and Ishaya Umar, 28, all from Beri in Mariga Local Government Area.
The command said its surveillance team attached to the Kontagora Area Command arrested the suspects after acting on the information. “During interrogation, the suspects confessed that seven of them formed a syndicate under the guise of a Yansakai vigilante group for the purpose of kidnapping and armed robbery,” the statement said. The police alleged that the suspects also confessed to killing at least three victims in Mariga during their kidnapping operations and stealing their motorcycles.
According to the command, investigations showed that the motorcycles were allegedly sold to a man identified as Awalu of Beri. A search of the suspects’ residences allegedly led to the recovery of one pump-action rifle. The police said efforts were ongoing to arrest Awalu and other members of the alleged gang. In another development, the police said a suspected motorcycle thief, Abdulkarim Yunusa, was arrested in Tafa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The command said the case was reported at Gawu-Babangida Division on 22 August after a Bajaj motorcycle allegedly entrusted to Mr Yunusa in