Niger State Police Commissioner of Police Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamman has paraded a suspected bandit leader, Umar Aliyu, aka Babuga Datijo.

He was paraded with four suspected informants and the sum of N5 million was recovered from them.

Danmamman, while parading the suspects at his maiden press briefing in Minna, said a total of 19 suspects involved in kidnapping, criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of firearms, and cattle rustling were arrested in recent times in the state.

He explained that the notorious bandit Datijo, 37, of Kwali, FCT Abuja, was nabbed on November 24, 2023, based on credible information by police operatives attached to the Nasko Division in Salka, Magama Local Government Area.

According to him, in the course of the preliminary investigation, the sum of N5,120,000, three ATM cards, three national identity cards, two other identity cards, a driver’s licence, and four mobile phones were recovered from the suspect. Three locally fabricated AK-47 rifles with magazines and two Toyota Corolla vehicles with Reg. No. KTU 906 HM and ABJ 492 LA were also later recovered from the suspect.

He said: “During interrogation, the suspect confessed to kidnapping activities in Shagamu expressway, Ogun State, Tambuwal in Sokoto State, Alieru in Kebbi State and Niger State. The money recovered was his share of a ransom collected from the kidnapping of a victim in Nasko.

“The suspect further confessed that he belonged to Poyi’s group of bandits after the deaths of his members at Shagamu. He mentioned and provided the numbers of other members of the gang as Maidabo and Shaibu Haruna, aka Felalu of Garatu.”

The Commissioner of Police also revealed that following his arrest, Datijo’s gang members attempted to attack Nasko Division on November 27, 2023, to rescue their leader but were repelled. Unknown to them, however, their leader had been moved to the State Police Headquarters in Minna.

He further said that in a follow-up investigation into the attack with the aid of technical intelligence, Motse Mohammed, 47, and Aliya Mohammed, 48, both of Salka Magama LGA, were arrested as informants of bandits.

“It was also established that a sum of N10,000 was sent to the two informants by the bandits through a POS point in Salka,” he stated.

Danmamman applauded the effort of all stakeholders and residents of the state for supporting the police to pull off the feat.

“I also urge members of the public not to relent in giving useful information to the police and other security agencies towards ensuring a secure environment and society at large,” he added.