The Niger State Police Command has arrested four suspects in separate operations involving the alleged killing of a farmer, kidnapping, and the destruction of electricity armoured cables in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement, saying one of the suspects allegedly contracted kidnappers to abduct a farmer, Jonah Isah, who was later killed.
According to the statement, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) attached to Kuchi arrested a 29-year-old man from Zawudna Village in Munya Local Government Area on September 27, 2026, following a complaint by recently rescued kidnapping victims.
The victims reportedly alleged that Yahaya conspired with suspected kidnappers to abduct Isah and other persons for ransom.
The police said the suspect confessed during interrogation that he contracted one Bashiru, who is currently at large, in 2024 to abduct the farmer, whom he described as a large-scale farmer, with the intention of sharing the ransom proceeds.
The statement added that the plan was allegedly carried out on June 26, 2026, when Bashiru and his gang members invaded the victim’s residence in Zawudna Village, killed him and abducted members of his family alongside three other people.
The abductors reportedly demanded a ransom of ₦2.1 million before releasing the victims, who allegedly identified the suspect as the person who contracted the gang.
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Police investigations also reportedly revealed that the 29-year-old took over the deceased’s farmland for personal use following his death.
The suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna for further investigation, while efforts are ongoing to arrest his alleged accomplices.
Vandalised, Stolen Armoured Cables
In a separate incident, the police arrested a 25-year-old man in Sarkin-Pawa, Munya Local Government Area for allegedly vandalising an armoured cable belonging to a community transformer.
SP Abiodun said the suspect was arrested by police operatives and community members at about 3:30 a.m. on October 2, 2026, with the vandalised cable in his possession.
The suspect allegedly confessed to breaking into the transformer installation and cutting the cable with a modified cutlass, intending to sell it to scrap dealers.
The recovered exhibits were transferred to the SCID for further investigation and prosecution.
Similarly, the police arrested two suspects aged 22 and 27, both residents of the Barkin-Sale area of Minna, over the alleged theft of armoured cables valued at more than ₦700,000.
The suspects were arrested following a report lodged at the Kpakungu Police Division on October 6, alleging that two persons had broken into a transformer installation in Barkin-Sale and carted away the cables.
According to the police, preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects allegedly committed the offence at about 2:00 a.m. on the same day, with the intention of selling the stolen cables to scavengers and scrap dealers.
The police said the stolen items were recovered and the suspects were undergoing further investigation.
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