The Niger Police Command has arrested eight suspects for illegal mining and armed robbery in Minna, the state capital.

This is contained in a statement by the command’s public relations officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, on Saturday.

He said, “On August 18, at about 4:00 p.m., police operatives of Central Police Station, Minna, led by the DPO, carried out a sting operation at an illegal mining site around Mechanic Bye-pass, Minna.”

The spokesperson explained that during the operation, the police arrested Samaila Nuhu, 20, Ahmad Mohammed, 17, Musa Aliyu, 20, and Umar Salihu, 47.

He said suspects were arrested with three diggers, six shovels, and ten headpans, while others fled from the scene.

Mr Abiodun said the suspects were under investigation and would be prosecuted accordingly.

The police spokesperson said that similarly, on August 19, at 2:00 p.m., some victims of robbery from Fadama Mandela Road, Sauka-Kahuta Minna, reported at the Tudun-Wada Police Division that on August 18, about 8:00 p.m., about 16 suspected robbers attacked them in the area and dispossessed them of valuable items.

“The items allegedly carted away during the robbery include one mobile phone valued at about N75,000, the sum of N158,000 cash, and foodstuffs, while one of the victims was stabbed on the left leg with a knife,” he said.

Mr Abiodun stated that, during the investigation with technical intelligence, four suspects were arrested in connection with the crime.

“The suspects include Mahmud Mohammed, Abubakar Musa, Amadu Umar, and Abdulkadir Suleiman, all of Sauka-Kahuta, Minna.

“The injured victim equally identified the suspects as members of the gang that attacked them, and the following items were recovered.

“The items include two SIM cards in the mobile phones that were snatched, three screw drivers, two knives, three cutlasses, and charms,” Mr Abiodun said.

He said the suspects had all been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, for further investigation, and efforts were in progress to arrest others still at large.

(NAN)