Niger police command has arrested four suspects specialising in stealing goats around Kpakungu, Soje areas of Minna, the state capital.
They were said to have been in the business for five years to survive.
Politics Nigeria learnt that residents of the affected areas were said to have been trailing the thieves in the past few months before nemesis caught up with them last week.
The suspects, it was gathered, were trailed by the police after receiving a tip-off from residents of the area of the syndicate’s operation on the fateful day.
According to the police, “Immediately the syndicate was sighted, the policemen, after being alerted, went into action. While the Tactical Support Team trailed them, the suspects zoomed off in a Honda Civic vehicle with number plate MNA 342 AA.
“The vehicle was intercepted around Shiroro Hotel, and three suspects were arrested there-in.”
A spokesman of the state police command, Wasiu Abiodun, added that Shehu Buhari, 25; Musa Idris, 40, both of Barkin-Sale, Minna and Idrisu Aliyu (Dagrin), 22 years of Kaffintela, Minna were immediately arrested.
He said the suspects had confessed to the crime during interrogation.
He said:
“The suspects said they had been stealing goats in Minna for five years to survive and had stolen over 500 goats at different locations in Minna.
“They further stated that they do sell the goats between N10,000 and N15,000 depending on the size to butchers in Maitumbi and Tunga areas and that Idris Dagrin’s vehicle, Honda Civic, was always used to convey the animals.”
He added that the suspects had also mentioned two receivers, of which one, Murtala Dan-Azumi of Tunga, was arrested while Hussaini Yahaya is presently at large.
Abiodun said efforts were on to arrest the fleeing suspect, adding that the case was under investigation and all suspects would be arraigned in court after investigation.
