The Niger State Police Command has arrested three suspects in separate operations across the state for alleged thuggery, armed robbery and fraud.

The arrests followed midnight raids on blackspots in Minna and surveillance at New Market in Kontagora.

The police disclosed that officers of ‘B’ Division, Kontagora, arrested one Bashir Abubakar, of Kebbi State, for alleged fraud and theft by trick.

In a statement on Monday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, said the command’s Anti-Thuggery Unit stormed criminal hideouts around Sabon-Titi, Tunga, Minna, at about 2am on 25 September.

The operation, according to him, led to the arrest of two young men, 18-year-old Murtala Abbas, and 20-year-old Hassan Ibrahim.

Abiodun said Abbas, who hails from Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State but resides around Bay Clinic, Tunga, was caught with two sharp curved sickles suspected to be used in violent attacks.

The second suspect, Hassan Ibrahim, was arrested at his residence in Sabon-Titi with two locally fabricated guns, a police T-shirt, two damaged walkie-talkies and illicit substances.

Abiodun said, “He claimed that the two damaged walkie-talkies were given to him by a vigilante man in the area, and that one of the guns was also given to him by one Sadiq who is also a vigilante member.

“He further confessed that he stole the police T-shirt from his uncle who is a retired policeman.”

The PPRO added that the command had begun moves to track the said vigilante members.

He said, “Investigation is ongoing to arrest the vigilantes mentioned, and the two suspects will be charged to court immediately after investigation.”

Abiodun explained that the raid was part of the ongoing crackdown on thuggery and criminality in the metropolis.

“These raids will continue. The command will not allow these boys to hide under the cover of the night to terrorise innocent people,” he added.

Abiodun disclosed that the officers of ‘B’ Division, Kontagora, in a separate development, arrested one Bashir Abubakar, of Kebbi State, for alleged fraud and theft by trick.

Abubakar was said to have entered a shop at New Market, Kontagora, around 11:30am on 27 September and requested to buy a handset and accessories worth over N500,000.

He allegedly dropped a bag with the shop attendant, promising to return shortly to make payment.

The shop attendant later checked the bag and discovered it was filled with papers cut into the shape of naira notes.

The PPRO said, “In the course of the situation, he was immediately identified as the same person who had carried out a similar fraud in the same market in August, where he collected two phones worth about N240,000 and disappeared.”

According to Abiodun, the suspect was almost lynched by an angry mob before he was rescued.

He added, “As a result of this, he was attacked by the mob, but Police operatives quickly moved to the scene, rescued him and took him into custody.”

Abiodun said the suspect is currently under investigation and will be charged to court as soon as the case file is concluded. (The PUNCH)