The Niger State Police Command has arrested 36 suspects in connection with thuggery, ritual activities, transformer vandalism and attempted livestock theft in different parts of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a crime bulletin issued on Thursday in Minna.
Abiodun said the arrests followed intelligence-led operations and intensified security patrols aimed at curbing criminal activities and restoring public safety.
He said seven suspects were arrested on 29 October by the Anti-Thuggery Unit in Albishir, Minna, following reports of incessant attacks around Gurara, Albishir and Gbeganu communities.
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The suspects, identified as Abdullahi Hassan, Shafiu Yahaya, Mohammed Abdullahi, Idris Bashir, Idris Mohammed, Alhassan Isyaku and Aliyu Isah, were arrested with a sword, cutlasses, a knife, suspected cannabis and a cable recovered from their residences.
Preliminary investigations linked the attacks to a reprisal arising from a violent confrontation at a party in Albishir in 2025, which reportedly resulted in the death of one Sani Mohammed of Gurara.
He added that 11 suspects were arrested following a violent clash between hoodlums from Kafintela and residents of Samande, Tunga, on 16 October, which led to the destruction of shops and the death of one person.
Similarly, 13 suspects were arrested on 18 October during a joint operation by police operatives attached to Bosso Division and vigilante members over youth unrest between Angwan-Biri and Tudun-Fulani communities in Bosso. Dangerous weapons were recovered.
In another development, five persons were arrested on 27 October at about 8:30 p.m. in Garima area of Minna over alleged criminal conspiracy, possession of criminal charms and membership of an unlawful society.
The suspects, identified as Mohammed Idris Dogara, Aliyu Sule, Abubakar Abdullahi, Ibrahim Mohammed Hamisu and Shehu Abubakar, a native doctor, were allegedly arrested during a ritual exercise.
Items recovered included blood-stained red and white clothing, four calabashes, two live chickens, three slaughtered chickens, a blood-stained knife and a large mat.
According to the police, the suspects allegedly approached the native doctor to perform money rituals using a human skeleton reportedly discovered during mining activities, and allegedly offered their biological children as sacrifices in exchange for money.
On transformer vandalism, Abiodun said seven suspects were arrested in separate operations in Minna and Lambata over alleged conspiracy, vandalism and theft of electricity cables.
He also disclosed the arrest of one Adamu Abubakar, popularly known as Yellow, over alleged criminal conspiracy, membership of a gang of thieves and attempted goat theft in Maitumbi.
The command assured residents that security operations, intelligence gathering and visibility patrols would continue across the state to prevent crime and apprehend perpetrators.
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