By YAHAYA ISAH

The Police Command in Niger has detained two suspected assassins in possession of a locally made pistol and live cartridge in Beji, Maikunkele area of Bosso Local Government Area of the state. This was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday in Minna by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun.

According to him, on Aug. 23 at about 12:45 a.m., a police patrol team, in collaboration with vigilante members stationed at the railway crossing in Beji, intercepted two suspects.

The suspects, aged 40, and 35, are residents of Beji.

“A search was carried out on them and a locally made pistol, a live cartridge and a sum of thirteen thousand naira were found in their possession.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed that they were hired by one Dogo of Beji to assassinate a man around the railway crossing area.

“They further revealed that they had agreed to carry out the task for N100,000.

“They were on their way to collect the service charge of one hundred thousand naira from Dogo before being arrested.

“They also claimed that Dogo initially gave them thirteen thousand naira as transport fare,” Abiodun stated.

Preliminary investigation, according to police, revealed that Dogo plotted the murder because the intended victim had married his ex-wife.

The two suspects are currently in police custody at Maikunkele Division for preliminary investigation, before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and prosecution.

Meanwhile, the police said efforts had been intensified to apprehend the said Dogo.

In another development, the command said its operatives arrested nine suspected thugs with dangerous weapons in Minna.

According to Abiodun, their arrest is in continuation of the fight against thuggery and other vices in the state.

The spokesperson added that based on credible information, on Aug. 26, between the hours of 2 am and 5am, the command’s Anti-thuggery Squad stormed the areas of Soje A, Soje B and Kpakungu.

“During the sting operation, nine suspects were arrested and found with two suspected stolen solar batteries, five knives, cutlasses, and a digger.

“They have been detained and being investigated by State Criminal Investigation Department of the command,” he said. (NAN)