Three soldiers and two policemen including an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) indicted in connection with the assassination attempt on the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa are currently on the run, but the the Niger State Police command has launched a manhunt for them.

The State Criminal Investigation and Intelligent Department (SCIID), of the Force disclosed this on Friday while arraigning five other suspects arrested in connection with the incident at the Chief Magistrate Court one in Minna.

Recall that gunmen suspected to be assassins had invaded the Minna residence of the Senator at about 8:00pm. They stormed the area as whistle blowers who had come to search the senator’s house for an alleged stockpile of arms and some foreign currency.

Four of the suspects, Felix Clarkson, Oladele Peter Akano, Abdul Salisu , Inspector Babagana Alhaji were promptly arrested at the scene when a political ally of the senator alerted the police.

The suspected gang leader, Sheriff Jimbarima was later arrested by the Police intelligence department after a manhunt.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) by the police, the three Army officers are said to be from the 31 Artillery Brigade Minna, including CPL Mohammed J. who are now at large.

The soldiers were said to be fully armed with AK 47 rifles and were provided security cover during the aborted assassination/kidnapping attempt of the Senator.

Police investigation, according to the FIR also indicates that two of the suspects nabbed at the Senator’s house in Minna, Oladele Peter Akano and Sheriff Jimbarima presented themselves as Army personnel and staff from office of the National Security Adviser office., Abuja to enable them gain access to the residence.

The five suspects arraigned in court are Felix Clarkson, Oladele Peter Akano, Abdul Salisu , Inspector Babagana Alhaji and Sheriff Jimbarima.

They are standing trial on six count charges of criminal conspiracy, attempt to commit an offence to wit kidnapping, attempt to commit an offence wit armed robbery, criminal trespass, personating a public servant and mischief to property.

The prosecuting police officers, ASP Abdullahi Mayaki and Inspector Aliyu Yakubu argued that the offences contravened sections 3 (1),3 (2) of the kidnapping law of Niger State 2016 and sections 95,348,132, and 327 of the penal code.

They disclosed that the suspects confessed to have conspired among themselves, with ASP Mohammed Umar, Inspector Yakubu Gabriel and three others at large to board a bus from Abuja to Minna for the kidnap operation.

“When you all arrived Minna you were later supported and assisted by three Army officers of which you Cpl Mohammed an Army personnel surname unknown also at large was dressed in mufti and two other Army personnel dressed in Army uniform armed with AK 47 riffles deployed from Nigerian Army Artillery Brigade of the Army Barrack in Minna all at large and with intent to kidnap Senator Sani Mohammed Musa 313,” the Police said.

When the charges were read to them before Chief Magistrate Mallam Adamu Abubaka, they all denied the allegations.

The prosecutor, therefore, prayed the court to remand them in correctional custody to enable the police arrest the fleeing suspects.

The court remanded the suspects in Minna correctional custody, adjourning the case to January 3, 2023.

Update news