The Niger State Police Command has arrested a salesgirl for allegedly stealing goods worth ₦29 million from her employer’s shop in Minna, while eight other suspects were apprehended in separate cases of vandalism and stolen vehicle recovery.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the development in a statement on Monday, said the arrests were made between August 8 and 17, following swift police responses to credible intelligence.
According to him, 23-year-old Sarah Ogbonna, who worked at a phone shop in Obasanjo Complex, Minna, was arrested after her employer accused her of diverting phones and cash entrusted to her care over a two-year period. She reportedly confessed to the theft, and further investigation revealed that part of the proceeds had been used to support family members and furnish an apartment for her boyfriend, who is currently on the run. Several household appliances and luxury items were also recovered from her. Police later picked up three accomplices in connection with the case.
In another operation, on August 12, police in Suleja intercepted four suspects along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway while attempting to dispose of a stolen Howo truck. The truck, which belonged to a company in Edo State, had been diverted by its driver, who admitted to planning its illegal sale.
Similarly, on August 17, two men were arrested in Minna after being found with suspected vandalised iron rods from a hotel construction site on Hilltop Road. Although one of them claimed to be a security guard at the site, police said both are under investigation.
SP Abiodun assured that all suspects are in custody and will be prosecuted upon completion of investigations, adding that the Command remains committed to the fight against crime in Niger State.
