Niger Police Arrest Suspects Over Gang Wars, Rituals

By Daniel Ebi, Minna

The Niger State Police Command has arrested several suspects in connection with violent gang clashes, an alleged money ritual scheme involving children, electricity infrastructure vandalism and other criminal activities across Minna metropolis.

The arrests, according to the command, followed intelligence-led operations aimed at tackling rising criminal activities, youth restiveness and threats to public safety in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed the developments in a crime bulletin, detailing a series of operations conducted by different police divisions and specialized units.

In one of the major operations, anti-thuggery operatives, acting on intelligence reports, raided the Albishir area of Minna in the early hours of October 29, arresting seven suspects allegedly involved in violent gang clashes.

Items recovered during the operation included swords, cutlasses, knives and quantities of suspected cannabis.

Preliminary investigations reportedly linked the clashes to a reprisal feud dating back to 2025, which originated from a party in the Albishir area and allegedly resulted in the death of one Sani Moh’d.

The incident reportedly triggered subsequent retaliatory attacks, leaving several people seriously injured. Police said the suspects had been charged to court.

In another operation, the command arrested 11 suspects following a violent confrontation between rival hoodlums from Kafintela and Samande on October 16, which reportedly claimed a life and resulted in the destruction of property.

Similarly, 13 suspects were arrested during a midnight raid in the Bosso area on October 18 as part of efforts to dismantle criminal gangs operating within the metropolis.

However, one of the most disturbing developments involved the alleged discovery of a money ritual syndicate in Garima, Bosso area, where anti-kidnapping operatives arrested five men on October 27.

The operation followed intelligence reports that some individuals were allegedly planning to engage in ritual activities to acquire wealth.

According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that four of the suspects had approached a native doctor from Maikunkele, requesting assistance with money rituals using a human skeleton reportedly discovered during mining activities.

When the native doctor allegedly refused to participate, the suspects reportedly offered their biological children for human sacrifice in exchange for wealth.

The police said operatives arrested the suspects at an isolated compound, where they allegedly recovered blood-stained clothing, calabashes, live chickens, three freshly slaughtered birds and a blood-stained knife.

One of the suspects, identified as Aliyu Sule, was reportedly apprehended while allegedly preparing to slaughter a chicken.

The five suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue ahead of their prosecution.

In a separate development, the command also intensified its crackdown on the vandalism of public infrastructure, arresting a suspect identified as Hussain Innocent on October 28 for allegedly vandalising electricity transformers in the Three-Arm Zone.

The arrest followed an earlier operation on October 6 in Lambata, where three men were reportedly apprehended with stolen armoured cables and bolt cutters.

The police also recorded another breakthrough in the fight against property-related crimes when operatives of the Maitumbi Division arrested Adamu Abubakar on October 26.

His arrest followed an incident in which residents reportedly intercepted a tinted Mazda vehicle suspected to have been used for goat theft.

The suspect was subsequently linked to the abandoned vehicle, charged to court and remanded in a correctional facility, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend his fleeing accomplice, identified as the driver.

The command said the operations formed part of its sustained efforts to rid Niger State of criminal elements, protect lives and property, and strengthen security across the state.