Police in Niger State Arrest 16-Year-Old Drug Suspect, Kidnapping Gang

The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 16-year-old suspect and three other individuals for alleged involvement in drug peddling, kidnapping, and armed robbery across the state.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Police Public Relations Officer Wasiu Abiodun, the command detailed the separate operations that led to the arrests.

According to the statement, the teenage suspect, Usman Aliyu, was apprehended on January 8 around 10:30 p.m. in the Kantoma area of Suleja after police received reports of hoodlums smoking suspected cannabis in the area.

Operatives from ‘B’ Division, Suleja, were mobilized to the scene. Upon sighting the police, the suspects attempted to flee, but Aliyu was arrested. Recovered from him were four cutlasses, one jackknife, and six sachets of illicit tablets.

“The suspect confessed to having been selling the drugs to different persons in the area,” Abiodun stated. After investigation, he was arraigned in court.

In a separate operation, police arrested three additional suspects Mamman Bello (18), Ibrahim Adamu (20), and Umar Abubakar (25) on January 16.

Bello and Adamu were arrested in Ilorin, Kwara State, following intelligence that suspected kidnappers had relocated from Niger State to a forest in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara. During interrogation, both reportedly confessed to involvement in kidnapping activities within Niger State and were allegedly planning another abduction before their arrest.

Umar Abubakar was arrested in Garatu for his role in an armed robbery incident in Beji. He confessed to the crime and identified other gang members. Police said the group sold a stolen motorcycle for ₦600,000 in Tunga-Mallam and shared the proceeds. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects.

All arrested individuals are currently undergoing further investigation.