The Niger State Police Command has arrested 19 miscreants and suspected phone snatchers during a sting operation on black spots in Minna, including New Market, Sauka-Kahuta, Soje, and Kpakungu.
Spokesperson of the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, February 3, 2025, said police arrested one Sunday Nelson with a stolen vehicle.
According to the PPRO, the suspects, aged between 15 and 29, were caught with dangerous weapons, including an axe, cutlasses, knives, an iron rod, charms, and cannabis.
“In a continuous response of the Niger State Police Command in tackling the menace of thuggery, snatching of handsets and abuse of illicit drugs within Minna and its environs, the Area Commander Minna, ACP Aliyu A. Rabah led a sting operation to some black spots within the metropolis over the weekend, in compliance with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamman psc, fsi on raid of black spots, community engagement and strategic stop and search within the city to curb crime and criminality,” the statement read.
The areas stormed by the Police operatives on February 2nd, 2025 at about 10am, includes New-market/PZ area, Sauka-Kahuta, Soje and Kpakungu areas of Minna, and in the course of the operation, nineteen suspects were arrested.
“They are; Abdulsalam Ibrahim 25yrs of N/market, Muhammed Saleh 25yrs of N/market, Abba Salihu 22yrs of N/market, Aminu Musa 23yrs of N/market, Isyaku Abdullahi 18yrs of N/market, Abdulrahman Isah of N/market, Salim Abubakar 25yrs of N/market, Sagir Tukur 28yrs of N/market, Gadafi Isyaku 25yrs of Saiko, Salihu Aminu 23yrs of Saiko, Sani Abdullahi 18yrs of Saiko, Abdulwaheed Abdullahi 22yrs of Maitumbi, Abdullahi Yahaya 28yrs of Texaco, DanAbba Abubakar 27yrs of S/Kahuta, Haruna Mohammed 29yrs of S/Kahuta, Abdulbasit Ibrahim 18yrs of S/Kahuta, Sadiq Idris 19yrs of Kpakungu, Ibrahim Adamu 15yrs of Kpakungu and Umar Usman 19yrs of Soje B.”
The suspects were arrested with dangerous weapons and other exhibits including one axe, two cutlasses, four knives, one iron rod, assorted charms and Cannabis.
All suspects are under investigation in SCID Minna and they will be arraigned for prosecution as soon as possible, he added.
“On 1st February 2025, at about 9am, Police operatives attached to Chanchaga Div arrested one Sunday Nelson 45yrs of Tunga, Minna with a reported stolen vehicle. The said vehicle, a white Toyota Corolla with Reg. No. LFA 799 ST was reported stolen on 31st January 2025 from where it was parked at the Aleo Vera area of Tunga, Minna.
“The Police patrol team on routine checks at the City gate intercepted the vehicle and during interrogation, the suspect confessed that he stole the vehicle at the same spot in Tunga, and he intended to take it to Kaduna for disposal. The suspect will soon be arraigned in court for prosecution.
“The Commissioner of Police commended the officers for their efforts and urged them to sustain the momentum towards achieving the set goal of a reduced crime rate, and crime-free society.”
