Police arrest eight for illegal mining, armed robbery in Niger
The Niger State Police Command has arrested eight suspects in two separate incidents in connection with illegal mining and armed robbery in Minna, the state capital.
Niger State Police spokesman, SP Wasiu Abiodun, in a statement on Saturday, said on August 18, 2025, police operatives carried out a sting operation at an illegal mining site in Mechanic Bye-Pass, Minna, leading to the arrests of four suspects:
The suspects include Samaila Nuhu, 20, Ahmad Moh’d, 17, Musa Aliyu, 20, and Umar Salihu, 47.
Abiodun explained that the suspects were found at the illegal mining site with three diggers, six shovels, and 10 headpans.
He added that the suspects are under investigation and will be prosecuted accordingly.
Abiodun also disclosed that on 19th August, 2025 at 2:00 pm, some victims of robbery from Fadama Mandela road, Sauka-Kahuta Minna reported at Tudun-Wada Police Division that on 18th August, at about 8:00 pm, some suspected robbers numbering about 16, conspired and robbed them in the area.
“The items allegedly carted away include; one handset valued at about N75,000, a sum of N158,000, and foodstuffs including two bottles of palm oil. During the robbery, one of the victims was stabbed on the left leg with a knife,” he disclosed.
Abiodun noted that in the course of investigation with technical intelligence, four suspects were arrested in connection with the crime which include Mamud Mohammed, Abubakar Musa
Amadu Umar, Abdulkadir Suleiman, all of Sauka-Kahuta, Minna.
The police spokesman further revealed that one of the injured victim equally identified the suspects as members of the gang that attacked them.
Items recovered include two sim cards that were in the robbed handset, three screw drivers two knives, three cutlasses and some charms
The suspects have been transferred to SCID Minna for further investigation and efforts to arrest others in progress.
Police arrest eight for illegal mining, armed robbery in Niger
