Operatives of Niger State Police Command have arrested five suspects over a motorcycle theft and fraud across markets in the state.
A 20-year-old Shamsu Ibrahim, a resident of Limawa community of Minna has been arrested over alleged motorcycle theft.
Four other suspects, Aliyu Abbas of Funtua, Katsina, Jibrin Idris of Gwiwa, Jigawa, Musa Ya’u of Daura of, Katsina, and Abubakar Yahaya from Niger for defrauding people across markets in the state.
In a statement issued by Wasiu Abiodun, the police spokesman in Niger, said a victim reported that theft of his motorcycle which swung the police into action.
“… a victim reported that he parked his white Jincheng motorcycle with Reg. No. QB 796 MSG within Limawa community in Minna, where he went to visit a relative, but on his return, he discovered that the motorcycle was missing”.
“One Shamsu Ibrahim, 20 years of Limawa area, was arrested in connection with the crime, and during interrogation, he confessed to having stolen the motorcycle and sold it to a yet to be identified person in Maitumbi at the rate of fifty thousand naira,” the statement partly read.
Abiodun further added that the suspect led the Police team to Maitumbi where the motorcycle was abandoned and recovered, adding that the suspect is under investigation in SCID Minna and will be prosecuted after the investigation.
Meanwhile on other suspects, “On 16th April 2025 at about 3 pm, acting on a credible intelligence that a syndicate of four men who specialized in defrauding unsuspecting members of the public in various markets around Niger State were sighted at Izom cattle market, planning to defraud a person after selling his cattle”.
He further stated that the Police attached to the Maje division were mobilized and intercepted a Black Mercedes-Benz with registration. No. KTU 747 HF.
“On interrogation, the suspects confessed to being fraudsters and a sum of one million, two hundred thousand naira was recovered from them. Other exhibits include a bunch of cut to size papers, liquid chemicals claimed to be used for counterfeit notes, handcuffs, and two phones”.
He stated that some victims identified the syndicate as fraudsters who had swindled them of their money and cattle at different markets. He explained that the suspects used to present themselves as policemen to their victims or counterfeit note producers.
He added that the suspects would be prosecuted after the conclusion of the investigation.
