The Niger State Police Command has arrested two suspected hired assassins in possession of a locally made pistol and live cartridge in Beji, Maikunkele area of Bosso Local Government Area.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Minna.
According to him, on August 23, at about 12:45 a.m., a police patrol team, working with vigilante members stationed at the railway crossing in Beji, intercepted the suspects aged 40 and 35, both residents of the community.
“A search was carried out on them and a locally made pistol, a live cartridge and a sum of thirteen thousand naira were found in their possession.
“During interrogation, the suspects confessed that they were hired by one Dogo of Beji to assassinate a man around the railway crossing area.
“They further revealed that they had agreed to carry out the task for ₦100,000.
“They were on their way to collect the service charge of one hundred thousand naira from Dogo before being arrested.
“They also claimed that Dogo initially gave them thirteen thousand naira as transport fare,” Abiodun stated.
Preliminary investigations, according to the police, revealed that the plot was hatched because the intended victim had married Dogo’s ex-wife.
The suspects are currently in custody at Maikunkele Division before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and prosecution.
Meanwhile, the police said efforts have been intensified to apprehend the said Dogo.
In a related development, the command arrested nine suspected thugs armed with dangerous weapons in Minna.
Abiodun said the arrest was part of an ongoing crackdown on thuggery and related crimes in the state.
“Based on credible information, on Aug. 26, between the hours of 2 am and 5 am, the command’s Anti-thuggery Squad stormed the areas of Soje A, Soje B and Kpakungu.
“During the sting operation, nine suspects were arrested and found with two suspected stolen solar batteries, five knives, cutlasses, and a digger.
“They have been detained and are being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department of the command,” he said.
