The village head of Guiwa community, Garba Mohammed, along with thirteen other individuals, has been arrested on allegations of providing support and protection to armed bandits operating within the Mashegu area of Niger State.
The arrests took place on Friday during a coordinated raid conducted by police operatives in collaboration with local vigilante groups.
The operation targeted known bandit camps and hideouts located in Guiwa and Telle villages as part of an ongoing security clearance initiative aimed at curbing criminal activities in the region.
Confirming the development in a statement released on Sunday, Wasiu Abiodun, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, revealed that credible intelligence had led to the apprehension of Garba Mohammed.
He is accused of offering sanctuary and logistical support to criminal elements. During a thorough search of Mohammed’s residence, security forces recovered several incriminating items, including four motorcycles and ten cattle suspected to be stolen or linked to banditry operations.
Abiodun explained, “On 23rd May 2025, at approximately 9 a.m., continuing with the clearance operations, our team raided Guiwa and Telle villages based on reliable information.
The Mai-Angwan of Guiwa village, Mallam Garba Mohammed, was arrested for allegedly harboring bandits and facilitating their activities by allowing his home to be used as a hideout. During the search, four motorcycles and ten cattle were recovered from his custody.”
He added that thirteen other suspects were arrested in various locations within Mashegu Local Government Area on similar charges relating to their involvement in criminal activities.
The police spokesperson further disclosed that a day earlier, on May 22nd, security forces had conducted a series of raids on suspected kidnappers’ hideouts in the Mashegu area, including the Magaman-Daji forest and its environs. During these operations, most of the suspects fled the scene, with some believed to have sustained gunshot injuries while escaping.
“In a continued effort to eradicate banditry and violent crimes in Mashegu, on May 22nd, 2025, police operatives alongside vigilante groups executed clearance operations in several identified kidnappers’ camps within the Magaman-Daji forest and surrounding areas. The suspects largely fled, with some sustaining gunshot wounds during the encounter,” the statement read.
Abiodun emphasized that the Niger State Police Command has initiated an in-depth investigation to determine the full extent of the involvement of Garba Mohammed and the other arrested individuals in banditry and related crimes across the region.