Niger Police Arrest 149 Suspects In Suleja, Minna Raids

The Niger State Police Command has arrested 139 suspects linked to the recent unlawful assembly and violent rally in Suleja where some miscreants were sighted with dangerous weapons, attacking and robbing unsuspecting members of the public in the name of an unlawful rally.

The arrest followed the intervention of the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman who deployed the Command’s VCRU led by CSP Hassan Gimba to the area on 4th August 2026.

“On getting to Suleja, the team swung into action with the aid of actionable intelligence and conducted sting operations in some identified blackspots in Madalla, Kwata, Bakin-Ruwa, Dikko, Kaduna road, Sabon-Wuse, Gwazunu and Chaza areas. During the raid operations, a total number of one hundred and thirty-nine suspects were arrested at different locations mentioned above.

Having raided these blackspots, the team commenced investigation and the arrested suspects were screened to sixty-four miscreants who were found with large quantities of suspected cannabis, dangerous weapons, scissors, knives, cutlasses and four live cartridges.

The sixty-four suspects were later arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court Suleja for criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, aiding and abetment, harbouring suspected criminals, giving information to miscreants, causing disappearance of evidence, mischief and being in possession of dangerous weapons and all suspects were remanded in correctional centre.

(2) EIGHT SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR THUGGERY, BEING IN POSSESSION OF DANGEROUS WEAPONS/ILLICIT SUBSTANCES RECOVERED

On 11th August 2026 at about 4:30am, Police surveillance team attached to Tudun-Wada Div conducted coordinated raids of suspected blackspots around Talakawa area of Tunga Minna and the following suspects were also arrested;
– Ashiru Sirajo, 19yrs
– Aminu Mahmud, 17yrs
– Dadi Suleiman, 14yrs, all of Talakawa area, Tunga.
A search of their residence was conducted and the following exhibits were recovered;
– A long flexible cutlass
– Two big clubs (gora)
– One shovel

Additionally, the raids were extended to Sauka-Kahuta area where another suspected thug, One Jibrin Muhammad, 18yrs was arrested in possession of illicit substances and dangerous weapons as follows;
– Two (2) sharp daggers
– One Ice bunker
– Six (6) lighters
– Suspected cannabis

Earlier, on 9th August 2026 at about 2:45am, Police operatives of Maitumbi Division also embarked on raids of criminal hideouts within the area in collaboration with local vigilantes and the following suspected thugs were arrested;
– Buhari Aliyu, 25yrs
– Shaabal Muhammed, 20yrs
– Mubarak Ahmad, 24yrs
– Saifullah Muhammad, 21yrs, all of Challenge Junction, Maitumbi.
The suspects were found in possession of illicit substances and shisha pots. Investigation is in progress and they will be charged to court immediately after the investigation.

(3) TWO SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR CRIMINAL FORCE & ASSAULT, IMPERSONATION AND DISTURBANCE OF PUBLIC PEACE.

On 8th August 2026 at about 6:30pm, a report received at ‘B’ Div Suleja indicated that two persons in military attire stormed into a laundry shop at Angwan-Gwari area of Suleja and started assaulting the shop attendant over an alleged missing phone.

On receipt of the report, Police operatives of the Division commenced investigation and two suspects were arrested, namely;
– Abraham Ashiwel
– Michael Okonkwo, both of Bakassi Area, Suleja.

During interrogation, the suspects confessed that they have been impersonating as military personnel in the community for years after being expelled from Nigerian Military School (NMS) Zaria in 2016 and 2019 respectively. Exhibits recovered from the suspects include;
– A pair of military Camouflage uniform
– One camouflage trouser and two combat T-shirts
– Two pairs of desert boots
– Two I.D cards
– Two jackknives

The suspects are in custody under further investigation and they will soon be transferred to SCID for further necessary action.

(4) SUSPECT ARRESTED FOR RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY, STOLEN PHONES RECOVERED

On 9th August 2026 at about 2p.m, a report was received at Maitumbi Division that on 6th August 2026, two students of FUT Bosso who were writing their examinations, left three mobile phones in their motorcycle, and on completion of their examinations, they discovered that the phones were missing.

The victims earlier reported at Bosso Div, commenced investigation and with the aid of technical intelligence, one Ahmed Sani 31yrs of Ang-Baushe was traced and arrested in Maitumbi in connection with the case and during interrogation, the suspect confessed to receiving the three stolen phones but stated that he had already sent them to Kano for sale.

However, on 12th August 2026, the three stolen phones were later recovered from the suspect, and he has been arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court for prosecution.

(5) TWO OTHER SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR THUGGERY AND DISTURBANCE OF PUBLIC PEACE

A case of thuggery and disturbance of public peace was transferred from Area Command, Minna to SCID for discreet investigation involving, one Musa Usman a.k.a Musa Kaura, a notorious thug/ex-convict and one Jamilu Yahaya, both 30yrs of Maitumbi area.

Reports indicated that on the 25th July 2026 at about 6:30pm, Police Patrol team attached to Minna Area Command while on routine patrol within Tsohon-Gurusu area of Maitumbi, encountered some thugs who engaged in a serious clash and the two suspects were arrested, with Musa Kaura’s index finger discovered to have been cut off by the second suspect during the scuffle.

During interrogation, both suspects confessed to their involvement in illegal mining activities adding that the fight was due to a misunderstanding regarding some proceeds of their illegal activities. Investigation also revealed that the injured suspect, Musa Kaura was previously seen in a viral thuggery video and he has been on the Police wanted list of arrests.

The suspects are in custody undergoing further interrogation and at the conclusion of the investigation, they will be prosecuted accordingly.