The Niger State Police Command has recovered an AK-47 rifle and 74 rounds of ammunition while arresting 20 suspects in separate operations targeting banditry, violent crime, theft, extortion and vandalism across the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement, saying the recoveries and arrests followed sustained joint clearance operations, intelligence gathering and security patrols across crime-prone areas.
According to the statement, on August 15, 2026, at about 7:30pm, police received credible intelligence that an AK-47 rifle and ammunition had been abandoned along a suspected bandit route in the bush around Krusha-Genu village, via Rijau Local Government Area.
A tactical team led by the Divisional Police Officer, Rijau, moved to the location and recovered the rifle with a magazine containing 19 rounds of live ammunition, another empty magazine and 55 rounds of live GPMG anti-aircraft ammunition.
The exhibits have been secured for forensic examination and analysis, while joint clearance operations have been intensified in the area.
The command also arrested four suspects over the alleged killing of 30-year-old Sunday Pada of Gogala village, Shiroro, in the Korokpan area of Minna.
The victim was reportedly attacked, beaten and stabbed to death on August 10 after some suspects allegedly intercepted him following an alarm that a thief was in the area.
Police operatives attached to Paiko Division initially found that the suspects had fled, while Pada was rushed to a hospital, where he was confirmed dead.
Three of the suspects were subsequently released to the Police by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after being arrested during a raid in the area. Another suspect was arrested by the Police.
The suspects were identified as Ibrahim Abubakar, Aliyu Onah, Godwin Musa and Aminu Bawa, all residents of Korokpan, Minna.
They are being investigated at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, for criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.
Police also arrested three suspects allegedly involved in stealing goats and other animals in the Gidan-Kwano area.
The suspects—Danlami Ali, 45; Sabastine Masangu, 49; and Masaud Abdullahi, 35—were arrested on August 11 after residents reported a suspicious black Volkswagen vehicle in the community.
Police operatives from Kpakungu Division, supported by vigilante members, intercepted the vehicle, which had registration number RSH 151 RE.
Animal skins suspected to have been stolen were reportedly recovered from the vehicle. Preliminary investigation, according to the command, indicated that the suspects allegedly operated a syndicate specialising in the theft of animals.
Four other suspects were arrested in Minna over alleged criminal conspiracy, extortion and fraud involving a fake QNET online investment scheme.
The suspects—Ringim Magaji, Umar Laduwa, Bashir Abdullahi and Ibrahim Bello—were arrested on August 13 at Farm Centre following a complaint by a man who travelled from Kano to Minna after being offered a job.
The victim alleged that, instead of the promised employment, the suspects took him to a house and demanded N200,000 for an online investment.
After he declined, the suspects allegedly intimidated him and forced him to transfer the money to an account belonging to one Aminu Bello. They reportedly demanded another N200,000, which he refused, before allegedly assaulting him.
The victim escaped during prayer time and was intercepted by police officers, to whom he narrated his ordeal.
The suspects are being investigated at SCID Minna.
The command also arrested two suspects in separate cases involving the alleged theft of goods from articulated vehicles along the Mokwa-Jebba road.
On August 13, a truck driver reportedly spotted individuals transferring cartons of spaghetti from his parked vehicle into a Sharon vehicle at Kpaki village while he had stopped for morning prayers.
The driver alerted a police patrol team, prompting the suspects to flee. One suspect, Ibrahim Mohammed of Mararaba Nyanya, Abuja, was arrested, while efforts continue to apprehend his alleged accomplices.
In another incident on August 15, police arrested Abdulhakeem Sani after receiving information that suspected stolen goods were being offloaded at a house in Lafiagi village.
Cartons of Nestle beverages were recovered and the owner of the goods was subsequently identified and contacted. The suspect is expected to be charged to court after investigation.
Six suspects were also arrested over alleged shop-breaking, theft and receiving of stolen property in Maje.
The arrests followed a complaint by a spare-parts dealer whose shop was allegedly burgled at about 5:30am on August 14, with truck spare parts worth N600,000 stolen.
Police arrested Mohammed Hassan, alias Omale, 20, who allegedly confessed to the offence and identified five other suspected accomplices—Mustapha Halidu, Zayannu Abubakar, Dantani Abdullahi, Idris Idris and Aliyu Ango.
The command said all the stolen items had been recovered and that the suspects remained in custody while investigations continued.
Police also recovered two 1,000KVA transformers allegedly stolen from the Federal Housing Estate, Tungan-Shanu.
The transformers were reportedly stolen from the estate’s powerhouse on August 16 while under the custody of a security guard.
Following a distress call, officers from Maje Division launched stop-and-search operations along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway and Maje-Dikko Road.
A Hijet vehicle driven by 28-year-old Bilyaminu Jibrin was subsequently intercepted with the stolen transformers.
Police said preliminary investigation revealed that Jibrin had allegedly been hired by 53-year-old Yahaya Nepa to transport the transformers to Jabi in the Federal Capital Territory.
Further investigation led to Nepa’s arrest. He allegedly confessed to purchasing the transformers from Saddam Mohammed, a security guard attached to the estate, at N750,000 each.
Another security guard, Samuel Adedeji, was also arrested, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend Saddam Mohammed and another suspect identified as Malam Rabiu, said to be attached to AEDC Abaji.
The Police Command said the suspects and recovered exhibits remain in custody as investigations continue, after which those found culpable will be prosecuted.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining intelligence-led operations and joint security patrols to disrupt criminal networks and improve public safety across Niger State.
