Police arrest 14 suspects over illegal mining, others in Niger
The Niger State Police Command has arrested 14 criminal suspects involved in alleged illegal mining, vandalism and theft of an electrical transformer
Eight of the suspects were arrested in Minna following a police sting operation on an illegal mining site, while the six other suspects were arrested while planning to dispose of a suspected stolen 300KVA transformer along Kaduna road.
Spokesman of the Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Saturday, in which he said all the suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.
The statement read, “On 18th August, 2025 at about 4 pm, Police operatives of Central Police Station, Minna led by the DPO carried out a sting operation at an illegal mining site around mechanic bye-pass, Minna and the following suspects were arrested; Samaila Nuhu 20 years of Sayako, Ahmad Moh’d 17 years of F/Layout Musa Aliyu 20 years of Bosso, Umar Salihu 47 years of Ang/Daji
“The suspects were arrested with 3 diggers, 6 shovels and 10 headpans, while others fled from the scene. All the suspects are under investigation and they will be prosecuted accordingly. However, monitoring continues.
“Similarly on 19th August, 2025 at 2 pm, some persons/victims of robbery from Fadama Mandela road, Sauka-Kahuta Minna reported at Tudun-Wada Police Div that on 18th August, at about 8 pm, some suspected robbers numbering about sixteen, conspired and robbed them in the area.”
The police spokesman added, “The items allegedly carted away include; one handset valued at about N75,000, a sum of N158,000, and foodstuffs including two bottles of palm oil. During the robbery, one of the victims was stabbed in the left leg with a knife.
“In the course of investigation with technical intelligence, four suspects were arrested in connection with the crime; Mamud Mohammed, Abubakar Musa
Amadu Umar, Abdulkadir Suleiman, all of Sauka-Kahuta, Minna.
The injured victim equally identified the suspects as members of the gang that attacked them and the following items were recovered; Two SIM cards that were in the robbed handset, Three screw drivers, Two knives, Three cutlasses and Charms.”
He said the suspects had been transferred to the SCID Minna for further investigation, while efforts to arrest the other suspects were still in progress.
In another development, the spokesman also confirmed the arrest of the six suspected vandals who planned to sell a stolen electrical transformer. He revealed that the suspect planned to dismantle and sell the transformer in parts.
“On 20th August, 2025 at about 9 pm, based on credible intelligence received at Maje Div that one Mustapha Haladu 28 years of Kaduna road and his accomplice Abubakar Ibrahim 26 years of the same area were planning to dispose of a suspected stolen 300KVA transformer within the night, at an uncompleted building along Kaduna road.
“On receiving this information, DPO Maje mobilised his patrol team and embarked on constant patrol of the area, and as early as 4 am on 21st August 2025, a yellow truck with Reg. No. GWA 850 XD, carrying the said transformer, driven by one Aliyu Sadi 32 years of Kaduna road was intercepted.
“The two suspects, Mustapha Haladu and Abubakar Ibrahim were also found with the vehicle escorting the item from Akilbu village, Kaduna State. When interrogated, the suspects could not give a satisfactory account or tender any document to prove ownership of the transformer.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that they planned to dismantle and sell it in parts. Three other accomplices were also arrested; Isya Yusha’u 28 years, Usama Abdullahi 20 years, and Usman Suleiman, 25 years, all of Kaduna road,” Abiodun stated.
He said all the suspects were under investigation and would be transferred to the SCID Minna for further investigation.
