Police arrest 32 suspected thugs including three kingpins, prison escapee in Niger

The Niger State Police Command has arrested 32 suspected thugs, including three notorious kingpins and one escaped inmate, in a crackdown on thuggery and robbery in Minna, the state capital.

According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, PRO, SP Wasiu Abiodun, in a statement, from August 30-31, 2025, between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., police operatives attached to ‘A’ Division Minna, led by the DPO, carried out sting operations and raids of criminal hideouts.

The areas include Limawa, Makera, Kwangila, Central Roundabout, Railway Station, Ogbomosho Street, Abdulsalam Quarters, PZ Area, Angwan-Kaje, New-Market, Sabon-Gari, Kuta Road, and Angwan-Sarki, Minna.

He explained that in the course of the operations, a total of 32 suspected miscreants were arrested, including Jemilu Usman, 19, a.k.a. Pabore, who has been on the police wanted list for attempted culpable homicide in Tayi Village, Minna.

Abiodun also disclosed that another kingpin arrested is Abdulraheem Tasiu, a.k.a. Tsoho Papalo of the PZ area, and Abdulmajid Abubakar, 25, a.k.a. Gaye of Angwan-Daji, Minna, who recently returned from the Correctional Centre after serving a jail term and was arrested with a cutlass.

In addition, he revealed that Mohammed Yahaya, 35, of Angwan-Sarki, was also arrested.

“A preliminary investigation revealed that he (Yahaya) was among the escaped inmates from the Correctional Centre during the last jail break, having been convicted for an offense of homicide,” the PRO stated.

Exhibits recovered from the suspects include several wraps of suspected cannabis, shisha pots, cutlasses, and other illicit substances.

All suspects are under investigation, and efforts to transfer the said inmate to the custodial center are ongoing.

Police arrest 32 suspected thugs including three kingpins, prison escapee in Niger