Police Arrest 20 in Connection with Murder of DPO

Not less than 20 suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Kpakungu area of Minna, the Niger State capital.

Two people believed to have actively participated in the crime who are on the run are still being hunted by the police.

Aaron Sunday, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was axed to death last Friday when he led an operation to the Barikin-Sale area of Minna, the state capital.

While the operation was going on according to reports, one of the thugs came from behind and axed Sunday in the head leading to his death before he could reach the hospital to receive medical attention.

The remains of the 47-yearold policeman and father of six children were released by the police authority and taken to his home town, Kagoro in Kaura Local Government of Kaduna State last Wednesday for burial.

The deceased, according to a senior police officer, would have been confirmed the substantive DPO for the station last Monday.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, has in the meantime paraded the suspects before journalists, saying they would be charged to court soon.

Elkana said the suspects were picked up from different areas of Minna and were hoodlums believed to be moving about with weapons, attacking each other and other innocent people in the neighborhood.

The police spokesman said:”Some of the suspects were invited by their friends to that particular ceremony just to disrupt the occasion.

“We are still looking for about three or two fleeing members of the gang,”Elkana said, adding that some of those arrested “have confessed to the role they played which led to the killing of the officer.”