By correspondent in Minna.
The police command in Niger state has arrested a number of criminals, including 5 alleged notorious receivers of stolen properties and a driver who conveys the gang members to the places of operation within Minna, the state capital, and its environs.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer,PPRO,DSP. Wasiu A. Abiodun,named the suspects as Ahmed Sani a.k.a Balarabe (23years), a mobile phone repairer and Abdullahi Abubakar a.k.a Mourinho (37 years), phone repairer and accessories seller respectively at the Obasanjo shopping complex, Minna.
Other alleged receivers of stolen goods currently helping the police in its investigations are; 25 years old Auwal Saidu a phone repairer, 30 years old Abdulkareem Musa and Safianu Ibrahim 21 years old, all mobile telephone repairers at Chanchaga area of Minna metropolis.
Also, one Murtala Junaidu 21 years from Katsina state but residing at Makera area was arrested for allowing his tricycle with Registration number, BDA 806 WL, to be used by, one Murtala to convey the gang to designated areas for operations mostly between 2a.m and 5a.m.
Among the areas the criminal gangs operated lately, where items, including mobile phones and laptops were stolen from their victims are; Mandela road, Tunga, Farm Centre, Morris, David Mark road, Police Mobile quarters and Brighter school area.
He said: “On the course of investigations, police operatives attached to SCID arrested one Tricycle rider and five notorious receivers of stolen items, based on confessions of suspected armed robbers earlier arrested within Minna”.
He said during interrogations, Abdullahi Abubakar confessed that he had been aiding the gang to sell stolen items and recently collected seven mobile phones and three laptops from one of the robbers, “Miksail”.
According to him, Miksail contacted Balarabe who also confirmed buying three iPhones at the rate of N20, 000 each and N25, 000 for each of the laptops from the gang members.
“Among the items recovered from the suspects are; Nine laptops (computers), sixteen mobile phones, seven different types of wristwatches, earpiece, power banks, and telephone phone chargers, the PPRO said.
He added that investigation haf commenced the SCID Minna, “as one suspect identified as Abdullahi Musa is presently at large with some other items and effort are ongoing to apprehend the said suspect and recover other items.”
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
