“Vigilante Men Accused of Murder: Investigation Unfolds in Niger State”
The Niger State Police Command has arrested three vigilantes in connection with the alleged murder of Muhammadu Bello, a 30-year-old man from Awala village in Rijau Local Government Area (LGA).
The suspects—Habibu Usman (35), Tanko Abara (25), and Maigero Abdullahi (26), all from Tunga-Galadima village in Rijau LGA—were taken into custody on January 16, 2025, by operatives from the Kontagora Area Command.
State Commissioner of Police, Shawulu E. Danmamman, confirmed the arrest in a statement he personally signed. He explained that the three individuals were implicated in the murder of Muhammadu Bello, whose body was found in a nearby bush in January after going missing in December 2024.
According to the police, Bello had been at a vigilante checkpoint at Tunga-Galadima village on December 8, 2024, riding his Bajaj motorcycle and carrying approximately N940,000. He was en route from Kontagora to Rijau when he mysteriously disappeared. His body was discovered days later, on January 13, 2025.
In the investigation, Habibu Usman, one of the arrested suspects, confessed that a fellow vigilante, Lawal (who remains at large), had shot Bello at the checkpoint. The police believe the three suspects, alongside Lawal, Jibrin, and Bako, are involved in the crime.
Commissioner Danmamman revealed that efforts are underway to capture the remaining suspects, with Lawal, Jibrin, and Bako still at large. The investigation continues as police work to uncover more details about the tragic incident.
