By Deborah Nnamdi
The Niger State Police Command has apprehended 24 suspected armed robbers following a coordinated sting operation in Minna, the state capital. A pump-action rifle and other weapons were recovered during the raid.
The arrests took place around 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday, when operatives from the anti-thuggery unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna, working alongside personnel from Maitumbi and Central Police Stations as well as local vigilantes, stormed several hotspots in the city.
According to a statement issued Friday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, the operation was part of efforts directed by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Elleman, to curb thuggery, youth restiveness, and armed robbery in the Minna metropolis.
“On July 30, 2025, between 3:00 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., police operatives carried out a sting operation across Angwan-Roka, Kwari-Berger, Flamingo, and Tudun within the Maitumbi area of Minna. The operation led to the arrest of 24 suspects involved in various criminal activities,” Abiodun said.
Among those arrested were Abubakar Nura (23), Auwal Mohammed (20), Suleiman Hassan (21), and Alhassan Mohammed (19), all residents of Angwan-Roka and Maitumbi. They were apprehended at a residence allegedly used as a hideout by a notorious gang leader, Saidu Umar Namaska, who remains at large.
During a search of the premises, police recovered an automatic pump-action rifle with two live cartridges, a bolt cutter, cutlasses, scissors, shisha pots, and suspected illicit substances.
Additional arrests were made at another location linked to a second gang leader, known as Sudaise. Suspects Usman Abubakar Bahago (18), Abubakar Sadiq Bahago (24), and Mubarak Abubakar (18) were found in possession of dangerous weapons.
Two more suspects, Jemilu Ibrahim (23) and Jemilu Ilyasu (16), were caught in a shop near Berger Junction. During the arrest, they reportedly threatened officers with a knife and attempted to flee through the rooftop. Cutlasses and knives were later discovered hidden under their bed.
Other individuals arrested include Shafiu Umar Chukuli (30), Daniel Joseph (16), Saidu Aminu Babayi (25), and Mustapha Mohammed (25). This group was found at a residence previously linked to the killing of a vigilante member and allegedly used as a criminal hideout. Eleven more suspects were apprehended in separate locations during the operation.
Abiodun confirmed that all suspects are currently under investigation, and efforts are ongoing to track down other members of the criminal networks.
