Police arrest 31 suspected thugs over deadly clashes in Minna

The Niger State Police Command has arrested 31 suspects following a series of violent clashes in parts of Minna, including attacks that left two people dead and several others injured.

The incidents occurred in Albishir, Gurara, Gbeganu, Samande, Tunga, Angwan-Biri and Tudun-Fulani communities between October 16 and 29, 2026.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a crime bulletin issued on Thursday.

In the latest operation on October 29, operatives of the Anti-Thuggery Unit arrested seven suspects following repeated attacks around Albishir, Gurara and Gbeganu.

Those arrested were Abdullahi Hassan, 20; Shafiu Yahaya, 25; Mohammed Abdullahi, 26; Idris Bashir, 24; Idris Mohammed, 22; Alhassan Isyaku, 26; and Aliyu Isah, 27.

Police searches reportedly yielded a sword, cutlasses, a knife, suspected cannabis and a cable.

Preliminary investigations traced the violence to a reprisal linked to a confrontation at a party in Albishir in 2025, which allegedly resulted in the death of one Sani Mohammed from Gurara.

The police said youths from Gurara subsequently attacked Alhassan Isyaku, an Albishir resident, while he was undertaking furniture work in Gurara. Aliyu Isah also sustained a deep cut on his right leg and injuries around his neck during the violence, according to the command.

The seven suspects were charged to court over alleged conspiracy, thuggery and causing grievous injury.

In a separate incident on October 16, 11 suspects were arrested after hoodlums allegedly from Kafintela invaded Samande in Tunga, broke shops and engaged in a fight that resulted in the death of a person from Kafintela.

Police patrol teams, including personnel of the 12 Police Mobile Force, responded to the incident and arrested the suspects, aged between 15 and 25.

They were transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Minna, for further investigation and subsequently charged to court.

Similarly, 13 suspects were arrested on October 18 following a clash between youths in Angwan-Biri and Tudun-Fulani communities in Bosso.

Police operatives attached to Bosso Division, working with vigilante members, raided the affected areas at about 1:30 am and recovered various dangerous weapons.

The command added that the suspects were also charged to court, and that monitoring and visibility patrols would continue across the affected communities.