Niger State Police Arrest Three Motorcycle Thieves

Minna, Niger State– The Niger State Police Command has dismantled a notorious motorcycle snatching syndicate and arrested three key suspects.

In a statement on Friday, December 29, 2023, by the spokesperson of the command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, said the suspects, Dan Asabe,50, of Banwuya area, Bida, Mohammed Adamu, 20, of Etsu Audu, Lemu, and Tanko Yusuf 40yrs of Bida road, Gidan-Mai, Bida, usually kill their victims before taking their motorcycles away.

According to the PPRO, Yusuf Tanko confessed to killing three motorcyclists within a period of about four months ago.

“On 04/12/2023 at about 1720hrs, based on credible information received that Mohammed Adamu was sighted in Garatu area of Bosso LGA, roaming around suspiciously.

“The Crack Squad moved to the area and arrested the said suspect. In the course of interrogation, he confessed that he trailed a motorcyclist to Garatu, which he intended to attack in order to snatch the motorcycle.

“He confessed further that he had been snatching motorcycles with one Basulube, who is currently at large and that they usually sell such motorcycles to Alh. Dan Asabe (a.k.a Gindo)” the statement read.

“Adamu led the Police operatives to the residence of Gindo in Bida, where he was arrested and Tanko Yusuf was also arrested in Bida.

“The said Gindo was discovered to be an ex-convict, as he narrated that he had participated in a series of robbery of motorcyclists and other crimes for more than six years, before being arrested, prosecuted and convicted in Bida.

“He returned from a three-year Jail term in March this year, and further engaged himself in receiving stolen motorcycles from Basulube and Adamu. He confessed that he bought some motorcycles from them at the rate of fifty/sixty thousand naira and sold it with an addition of ten thousand naira to one Abubakar Lafiagi of Katcha, who is at large. However, four boxer motorcycles were recovered from Gindo’s possession.

“Yusuf Tanko confessed to three culpable homicide of motorcyclists, where two victims were killed around Agaie and their motorcycles were sold to Gindo, and one other victim was attacked and amputated at Zuzungi road in Kataeregi, while his motorcycle was taken to Paiko, within a period of about four months ago.

“Other receivers mentioned are Yahaya in Kaduna and one Bashir at Paiko. It was also discovered that the syndicate usually attacked their victims with hammers and cutlasses to kill in order to take their motorcycles away.

“In the course of investigation, the suspects revealed that dead victims’ motorcycles are mostly expensive, because it is usually sold with keys and it is believed that nobody would lay claim to it, while that of injured victims are less expensive. The suspects are under investigation, as effort is ongoing to apprehend Basulube, Yahaya and Bashir.

“Meanwhile, any victim who might have identified his motorcycle in the photograph should come forward to claim, with ownership proof and to aid the investigation process.”