The Niger State Police Command has made significant progress in its fight against crime, with the arrest of several suspects involved in robbery, drug trafficking, and vandalism, as well as the recovery of stolen cattle following a bandit attack.
According to a statement issued on July 19, 2025, by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, one of the key arrests was made on July 10 when operatives attached to ‘A’ Division apprehended a notorious robbery suspect, Hussaini Usman, popularly known as El-Hussain, 23, along Kuta Road in Minna. He was found in possession of a long sharp knife and some suspected cannabis. El-Hussain had been on the run after reportedly robbing a salesgirl at Ogbomoso Road, carted away motorcycle spare parts. He was also known for terrorising residents through phone snatching, threats, and street fights around Ogbomoso Street, Ungwar-Sarki, and Paida.
Following his arrest and during interrogation, El-Hussain provided leads that led to the arrest of nine other suspected gang members on July 12. They were picked up in a coordinated operation carried out around Ungwar-Sarki and Ogbomoso Street, where they were found in possession of dangerous weapons.
In a separate operation on July 13, police operatives from Suleja Area Command, in collaboration with the 12 PMF component, arrested one Elijah Mathew of Sabon-Kaida, Gurara Local Government Area, with two and a half bags of suspected cannabis. During questioning, Elijah admitted that the drugs belonged to one Moses Obi of Maje, Suleja, who was subsequently arrested. Moses confirmed ownership of the illicit substance and revealed that he purchased it from a dealer identified only as Aminu from Deidei, Abuja, who is currently at large. The two suspects are currently in custody and will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further investigation and prosecution.
On July 15, the Command also apprehended a suspected cable vandal, Mohammed Umar of Bonu village, Lambata area. He was intercepted along Bonu-Lambata road by operatives from Gawu-Babangida Division with vandalised electric cables packed in a bag. He confessed to stealing the items from the roadside. He remains in custody and will be prosecuted upon conclusion of investigations.
Meanwhile, the Command also reported a recent security operation in Rijau community and its surrounding areas following an attack by suspected bandits on July 14. The assailants inflicted injuries on residents and fled with stolen cattle. On July 18, security forces launched an aerial bombardment of the criminals’ hideouts around Yar-Tudu, Marafa, and Awala villages in the Kumbashi district of Mariga LGA. The operation threw the hoodlums into disarray, resulting in the recovery of a large number of cattle. Security monitoring in the area continues.
The Niger State Police Command reaffirmed its resolve to tackle crime across the state and urged residents to cooperate with law enforcement by providing timely and credible information.
