Police Arrest Man In Connection With Terrorists Attack On Tegina, Niger State

A 30-year-old man allegedly connected to the deadly attack by terrorists in Tegina town of Niger State months ago has been arrested.

The State Police Command confirmed the arrest of the suspect in a statement made available to newsmen in Minna, the state capital, Naija News reports.

It could be recalled that on 14th November 2021, some gun-wielding terrorists stormed Tegina town in a broad daylight shooting sporadically and abducting at least four persons into Kagara forest, including one Aminu Garba and others.

The command at the time deployed a combined team of the tactical squad comprised of the anti-Kidnapping unit, FIB tactical squad and vigilante members to the forest.

As a result of the sustained operational pressure on the terror group, two victims later escaped from their captivity while the other two were held captive including a middle-aged man identified as Aminu Garba.

Weeks later, the terrorists reportedly killed the remaining two victims after collecting a ransom of thirteen million naira.

However, the state police command through its Public Relations Officer, PRO, DSP Wasiu Abiodun revealed in Minna on Tuesday that on 29th August 2022, the command acted based on technical intelligence and arrested one Nasiru Musa, 30, in connection with the Tegina attack and killing of the victims.

“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to have conspired with one Lelwi presently at large who connected him with one Gwaskan-Daji also at large and several others to kidnap the victims and collected the ransom. He claimed that he benefitted two hundred thousand naira only from the crime proceeds and he was also planning to kidnap the Council Chairman of Rafi LGA before his arrest,” Abiodun revealed.

The PPRO disclosed further that the command also arrested one Umar Shehu, 31, of Bakori, Funtua LGA of Katsina State.

According to him, Shehu was a notorious arms dealer who supplies arms/ammunition to different bandits’ camps in Katsina, Kaduna and Niger State.

Abiodun said the suspect has since confessed that he usually supplies arms and ammunition to bandits in Madaki forest Katsina, Ganai camp in Maidaro forest Kaduna and a syndicate member terrorizing Kwamba/Maje area of Suleja.

“He confessed further to have purchased arms from Abdulmani ‘m’ of Taraba State who was neutralized in Kaduna by the FIB squad early this year. He claimed that he got one hundred thousand naira from every 500 ammunition he delivered to any bandit’s camp. A case under investigation,” the police added.