Niger: Police arrest eight suspects for conspiracy, theft, thuggery

The Niger State Police Command has arrested eight suspects for conspiracy, theft of motorcycles, receiving stolen property, and thuggery in the state.

The command, in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, in Minna, stated that on 3rd April 2025 at about 2:30 pm, following a complaint received, the Crack Squad of the command arrested two suspects. These included Mohammed Usman, 18, from Tunga, Minna, and Mohammed Abdullahi, 22, from Paiko area, who were arrested for conspiracy, theft of motorcycles, and receiving stolen property.

The PRO disclosed, “It was reported that on 28th March 2025 at about 5 pm, Usman boarded a motorcycle to a hotel around Tunga, near the Old City gate. After alighting, he invited the cyclist to his hotel room, tricked him, took his motorcycle key, and locked him in the room.

“Usman made off with the motorcycle and the key, taking it to Abdullahi in Paiko for sale.”

Abiodun stated that, during the course of the investigation, police detectives took swift action and arrested Abdullahi, who had a pending case of assault related to a gang fight at a mining site in Paiko.

“Abdullahi led police operatives to a mining site in Paiko where Usman was waiting to collect the proceeds of the crime, and he was arrested too,” he revealed.

Abiodun said two motorcycles were recovered from Abdullahi, who confessed that Usman had brought the motorcycles to him for sale.

“Usman also confessed to the crime and stated that he stole one of the motorcycles from Obajana, Kogi State, at a mining site earlier last month.”

Furthermore, six other miscreants were apprehended for thuggery during a sting operation within the Kwangila/Keteren-Gwari areas of Minna.

These suspects include Mohammad Yusuf, Mohammad Aliyu, Isah Abdullahi, Usman Mohammed, Jibrin Suleiman, and Ibrahim Mohammad.

All suspects are under investigation, and the police are intensifying efforts to reduce criminality in the state.