Men of Nigeria Police Force,Niger state command, led by Area Commander Suleja, have arrested fourteen suspects in connection to the killing of Village Head of Lambata community in Gurara Local Government of Niger state. The Police operatives on the instruction of the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Ogundele J. Ayodeji, swung into action, and conducted a house-to-house search of the area on 17th/18th January, 2023.
During this search with some pointers witnesses, fourteen suspects were arrested in connection with the crime, which are;
-Umar Ilyasu Sarki 37yrs
-Musa M. Musa 47yrs
-Yakubu Bissala 23yrs
-Hussaini Moh’d 18yrs
-Usman Habibu 40yrs
-Ibrahim Umar 45yrs
-Ismaila Moh’d 38yrs
-Ademola Okunola 51yrs
-Ilyasu Dantani 28yrs
-Yakubu Moh’d 35yrs
-Yusuf Sarki 49yrs
-Atiku Moh’d 21yrs
-Adamu Yusuf 46yrs
-Bashir Moh’d 27yrs
During interrogation, the suspects confessed that there has been a lingering issue of chieftaincy tussle between the late village head and Umar Ilyasu Sarki, who claimed that the thirty-seven District heads (Mai-Angwa) in the community were loyal to him; and that they did not recognize the late village head as their leader.
The suspects further mentioned other members who participated in the act as Hamza Umar Sarki, Dauda Umar Sarki, Abdulkarim Dantani, Zubairu Moh’d, Zayanu Ladan, Jibril Garba and others presently at large.
Police Command said effort was ongoing to arrest fleeing members of the group as the investigation is being intensified, while the suspects will be arraigned in court for diligent prosecution.
It would be recalled that on 14th January,2023 at about 1500hrs, some irate youths of Lambata community in large numbers stormed the residence of the Village head of Lambata, Alh Mohammed Abdulsafur.
The irate youths attacked the village head, inflicted serious injuries on him and his younger brother, one Ibrahim Moh’d for inexplicable reasons.
Unfortunately, the village head was later confirmed dead in the hospital, as a result of the serious injuries he sustained during the attack.
In the same vein, on 17th January,2023 at about 0900hrs, some angry youths of Kafin-Koro District, Paikoro LGA mobilized and protested in Kafin-koro town over the killing of the Rev. Fr.Isaac Achi
During the protest, the rampaging youths conspired amongst themselves and invaded Kaffin-Koro Police Divisional Hdqtrs with dangerous weapons such as sticks, stones, bottles, large quantities of PMS (petrol), and other weapons.
Without any provocation from the Police, who were even ready to protect the youths for a peaceful protest, but the youths proceeded to the station and set the Divisional Hdqtrs building ablaze, where four motor vehicles and ten motorcycles, value yet to be ascertained were burnt, including valuable public documents in the office.
They further vandalized and stole some valuable exhibits such as electronics, laptops, handsets, computer sets etc., kept in the office, value also yet to be ascertained.
The Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Ogundele J. Ayodeji, immediately drafted a reinforcement team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations to the scene, normalcy was restored and arrested the following suspects;
-Abdulkadir Aliyu 37yrs(leader)
-Umar Jibrin 25yrs
-Usman Ali 30yrs
-Moh’d Aminu 31yrs
-Rufai Abdullahi 22yrs
-Abubakar Abubakar 19yrs
-Aliyu Suleiman 35yrs
-Paul Martins 38yrs
-Hamza Aminu 23yrs
-Bashir Bala 20yrs
-Abdullahi Danmallam 25yr
-Musa Emmanuel 20yrs
-Ibrahim Abubakar 20yrs
-Buhari Salisu 18yrs
-Timothy Simon 27yrs
-Usman Jatan 25yrs
-Dangana Zegi 48yrs
-Mustapha Yau 30yrs
-Ahmed Mudi 17yrs
During interrogation, the irate leader Abdulkadir identified all the suspects who were parts of the crime, and equally mentioned about twenty-eight other suspects who are presently at large.
The Command also released other innocent persons who were erroneously arrested, as the actual suspects were identified by the leader.
Suspects have been arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction for prosecution.
The CP therefore, warned members of the public, Nigerlite to desist from any act of taking laws into their hands and allow the process of the criminal justice system to take its course in the dispensation of justice, as there will always be a consequence for every misdeed in accordance to the rule of law.
