Niger: 14 suspects arrested over alleged killing of village head

Fourteen suspects have been arrested by the police in connection with the killing of the village head of Lambata, in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulsafur.

WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that on January 14, 2023, at about 3 pm, some irate youths of Lambata in large numbers stormed the residence of the deceased.

The youths attacked the village head, inflicted serious injuries on him and his younger brother, one Ibrahim Moh’d for inexplicable reasons.

Unfortunately, the village head was later confirmed dead in the hospital, as a result of the serious injuries he sustained during the attack.

Spokesperson of the command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the arrest in a statement on Friday, January 20, 2023, said police operatives led by Area Commander Suleja, on the instruction of the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Ogundele J. Ayodeji, swung into action, and conducted a house-to-house search of the area on Tuesday and Wednesday.

During this search with some pointers witnesses, fourteen suspects were arrested in connection with the crime.

The suspects are: Umar Ilyasu Sarki, 37, Musa M. Musa ,47, Yakubu Bissala,23,Hussaini Moh’d,18yrs,Usman Habibu,40, Ibrahim Umar, 45, Ismaila Moh’d,38, Ademola Okunola,51, and Ilyasu Dantani,28.

Others are Yakubu Moh’d,35, Yusuf Sarki,49, Atiku Moh’d, 21, Adamu Yusuf, 46, and Bashir Moh’d, 27.

During interrogation, the suspects confessed that there has been a lingering issue of chieftaincy tussle between the late village head and Umar Ilyasu Sarki, who claimed that the thirty-seven District heads (Mai-Angwa) in the community are loyal to him; and that they did not recognize the late village head as their leader.

Furthermore, the suspects mentioned other members who participated in the act as Hamza Umar Sarki, Dauda Umar Sarki, Abdulkarim Dantani, Zubairu Moh’d, Zayanu Ladan, Jibril Garba and others presently at large.

Effort is ongoing to arrest fleeing members of the group as the investigation is being intensified, while the suspects will be arraigned in court for diligent prosecution.