Niger police nab 3 rustlers, 4 robbers, kidnappers

Niger State Police Command says its anti-cattle rustling squad has arrested three notorious cattle rustlers who stole 334 cows in Bangoli, Kotangora Local Government Area of the state.

The rustlers, according to the commands Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, were members of a gang of 40 bandits who had been terrorising villagers from their hideout in Kabaro Forest in Zamfara State.

The arrested rustlers, Haruna Mohammed, Tukur Hassan and Adamu Gurmu, all of Baru, in Kontagora Local Government Area, were arrested following a distress call by natives.

The command also disclosed that its men arrested four armed robbers and kidnappers in two separate operations in Minna Town and in Lambata in Gurara Local Government Area of the state.

DSP Elkana said the Minna robbery involved two students of the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna who allegedly robbed one Nwosu Stephen of a HP laptop valued at N130,000, and two handsets which value could not be immediately ascertained.

He said the command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS); acting on a tipoff, arrested a notorious gang of armed robbers and kidnappers from their hideout along Lambata Padawa Road.

“On sighting the police, the hoodlums opened fire but bowed to police superior fire-power. Two suspects were fatally injured, while others escaped with bullet wounds,” he explained.

DSP Bala said two AK 47 rifles were recovered from the suspects, while the case was still under investigation.