The Niger State Police Command has arrested three vigilantes in connection with the murder of a 30-year-old man, Mohammed Bello, in Rijau Local Government Area of the state.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Shawulu E. Danmamman, disclosed this during a press briefing at the police headquarters in Minna on Monday 27th January 2025.
According to the CP, the victim was last seen alive on 8th December 2024 at a vigilante checkpoint heading to Rijau on his motorcycle with about ₦940,000 in his possession.
The victim’s lifeless body was recovered on 13th January 2025 in a nearby bush close to the vigilante point.
“On 16th January 2025, police operatives attached to Kontagora Area Command arrested the following three suspects: Habibu Usman (35), Tanko Abara (25), Maigero Abdullahi (26), all of Tunga-Galadima village via Rijau,” the CP stated.
“The suspects were arrested for suspected culpable homicide of one Mohammadu Bello (30) of Awala village, Rijau LGA.
“It was reported that on 8th December 2024 at about 1300 hours, the said victim was at a vigilante point at Tunga Galadima village with his Bajaj motorcycle coming from Kontagora and heading to Rijau with about nine hundred and forty thousand naira in his possession, and since then, the victim was nowhere to be found until his lifeless body was recovered on 13th January 2025 in a nearby bush close to the vigilante point.
“Therefore, the vigilante men were strongly suspected while the three suspects mentioned above were arrested and Habibu Usman confessed that one of them known as Lawal, presently at large, had previously shot an innocent person dead from the checkpoint.
“However, the investigation is ongoing, and efforts to arrest other members, who are Lawal, Jibrin and Bako, are being intensified.”
