By Fatima Zahra Muhammad
ASHENEWS reports that the Niger State Police Command has arrested 44 hoodlums for their involvement in the recent unrest in Minna, the Niger State capital.
A statement issued by the state police spokesperson, DSP Wasiu Abiodun said that the arrests followed reports of miscreants clashes, thuggery, and pockets of tricycle robberies in the state capital.
According to him, the suspects arrested across many parts of the state capital have for weeks now been causing public unrest, inflicting serious injuries on victims and dispossessing unsuspecting members of the public of their valuables.
Abiodun noted that the suspects were arrested during a house-to-house raid on Monday by tactical teams comprising personnel from the Operations Department, CTU, Anti-kidnapping unit, tactical support team, Area Command team, various patrol units in the metro, and vigilante members.
He said that the raid, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations DCP Ali Hayatu Kaigama was carried out across Limawa, Angwan-Daji, Paida, Gwadebe, Anguwan-Sarki, Ogbomosho road, Kasuwan-Gwari, and its environs within Minna metropolis.
He said “Some of the dangerous weapons recovered from the suspects include; eleven cutlasses, four scissors, five knives, four swords, one garotte, five sticks, eight handset phones, three shisha pipes/pots, a big saw, scale, an iron bar, a bottle containing illicit drugs, lighter, screwdriver, bunch of keys, and ATM cards
“All the suspects have been transferred to SCID for discreet investigation and they will be arraigned in court for prosecution with capital offense charges,”
Abiodun noted that the state Commissioner of Police has directed that the operation be a continuous exercise.
He further assured of the command’s readiness to ensure the protection of lives and properties in the state.
