The Niger State Police Command has recorded major breakthroughs in its sustained onslaught against crime, smashed several armed robbery and thuggery syndicates in Suleja and Minna, arrested multiple suspects, and recovered firearms, illicit drugs, and stolen property.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said operatives of the Anti-Thuggery Unit and various divisional commands carried out a series of coordinated raids and patrols across crime-prone areas of the state between October 15 and 20, 2025.
During the operations, two suspected armed robbers — Chikile Stephen Ifesinachi (37) and Naziru Nasiru (19) were arrested in Dakwa, Suleja. Items recovered from their adjoining shops included four machetes, knives, ATM cards, SIM cards, identity cards belonging to different individuals, illicit drugs, and over ₦200,000 cash. Both suspects failed to give satisfactory accounts of the items and are undergoing investigation.
In a separate operation, police rescued Lukman Umar (23) from a mob after he allegedly attempted to flee without paying for food. Further interrogation revealed that he was a member of a robbery syndicate involved in stealing vehicles, motorcycles, and phones in Suleja. His confession led to the arrest of Saifullahi Ibrahim (34), from whom three locally fabricated revolvers and knives were recovered.
Similarly, five thuggery suspects — Jonathan Samuel (20), Aminu Mohammed Yusuf (20), Mustapha Ibrahim (18), Usman Mohammed (18), and Ibrahim Tanko (20) were apprehended at Korokpan, Chanchaga area, during a raid. Dangerous weapons and suspected cannabis were recovered.
Also, one Abubakar Sadiq Idris (25) was intercepted at Pogo area, Minna, in possession of a suspected stolen motorcycle, which he confessed to having stolen from a residence in Bosso.
In another development, four suspects were arrested for conspiracy, theft, and receiving stolen property in Maje Division. Two of them — Mohammed Mohammed (28) and Mohammed Abubakar (30) were found transporting two unregistered motorcycles from Kogi to Kaduna for sale, which they sold to Suleiman Lawan (21) and Mustapha Aminu (20). One of the motorcycles has been recovered.
The Command also re-arrested an escaped inmate, Jemilu Ibrahim, who fled from the Suleja Correctional Centre in 2024 after a wall collapse. He was caught with illicit substances, ATM cards, and phones along Suleja–Madalla road.
SP Abiodun reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to eradicating crime across the state, urged residents to continue providing credible information to aid police operations.
