Niger State Police Command has arrested four suspects who specialize in stealing goats around Kpakungu, Soje areas of Minna, the Niger state capital.
They are said to have engaged in the business for the past five years to survive.
According to Vanguard Newspaper, residents of the affected areas were said to have been trailing the thieves in the past few months before nemesis eventually 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 operation of the syndicate on the fateful day.
“Immediately the syndicate was sighted, the Policemen after being alerted went into action immediately and while the Tactical Support Team trailed them, the suspects zoomed off in a Honda Civic vehicle with Reg. No. MNA 342 AA.”
“The vehicle was intercepted around Shiroro Hotel and three suspects were arrested there-in,” the Police remarked.
Spokesman of the state Police Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun also said that Shehu Buhari 25yrs, Musa Idris 40yrs both of Barkin-Sale, Minna and Idrisu Aliyu (Dagrin) 22yrs of Kaffintela, Minna were immediately arrested.
He said the suspects have confessed to the crime during interrogation.
“The suspects said that they had been stealing goats in Minna for the past five years to survive and that they had stolen over 500 goats at different locations in Minna.”
“They further stated that they do sell the goats between N10,000 to N15,000 depending on the size to butchers in Maitumbi and Tunga areas and that Idris Dagrin’s vehicle, Honda Civic is always used to convey the animals,” the PPRO stated.
The suspects had also mentioned two receivers of which one Murtala Dan-Azumi of Tunga was arrested while Hussaini Yahaya is presently at large.
Wasiu Abiodun said efforts are on to arrest the fleeing suspect adding that the case is under investigation and all suspects will be arraigned in court for prosecution immediately after the investigation.
