Niger Police Arrest Ritualist, Four Suspected Bandits

The Police in Minna, Niger State yesterday announced the arrest of a spiritualist working for bandits and four suspected bandits in its ongoing war against criminal elements in the state.  

The spiritualist, one 50-year-old Samaila Umar, was arrested in Gusase village near Maikunkele in the Bosso Local Government Area on Sunday.

Samaila, according to a police statement made available to newsmen, claimed that the spiritualist was a consultant to bandits who have been hibernating between Niger, Nasarawa states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The last spiritual consultancy reportedly given to bandits was on Sunday, the statement said, adding that the terror gang was given assurance that they will successfully raid and kidnap worshipers at Buku village near Abaji in the FCT.

The statement said the suspect also “promised to pray for the release of a suspected bandit known as ‘JULLI’ currently in Police custody at Abuja.”

The police further said that the four suspected bandits whose names were given as Abubakar Alhaji Buba, 27-year- old, Shehu Mallam Jare, 20-year-old Abubakar Garba, aged 44-year-old and Abubakar Na’Allah, age 25 years, were arrested at Maijaki forest near Lapai and Rafindaji forest along the boundary of Niger and the FCT .

Forty cows and 15 sheep were also recovered from the suspected bandits.

The suspects, according to the statement, claimed they were rearing cattle in the said forests but could not give satisfactory account of the cattle in their possession.