The Niger State Police Command has arrested 19 people in connection with the burning down of the Kafin-Koro Police Station in protest of the death of a Catholic priest, Reverend Fr. Isaac Achi.
DSP Wasiu Abiodun, spokesman for the Police Command, confirmed the arrest in a statement, adding that roughly 28 other suspects are still at large.
“On 17/01/2023 at about 0900hrs, some angry youths of Kafin-Koro District, Paikoro LGA mobilized and protested in Kafin-koro town over the killing of the Rev. Fr,” the statement read.
“During the protest, the rampaging youths conspired amongst themselves and invaded Kaffin-Koro Police Divisional Hdqtrs with dangerous weapons such as sticks, stones, bottles, large quantities of PMS (petrol), and other weapons.
“Without any provocation from the Police, who were even ready to protect the youths for a peaceful protest, but the youths proceeded to the station and set the Divisional Hdqtrs building ablaze, where four motor vehicles and ten motorcycles, value yet to be ascertained were burnt, including valuable public documents in the office.
“They further vandalized and stole some valuable exhibits such as electronics, laptops, handsets, computer sets etc., kept in the office, value also yet to be ascertained.
“The Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Ogundele J. Ayodeji, psc(+) immediately drafted a reinforcement team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations to the scene, normalcy was restored and arrested the suspects below:
The suspects are: Abdulkadir Aliyu 37yrs (leader), Umar Jibrin,25yrs, Usman Ali,30, Moh’d Aminu,31, Rufai Abdullahi, 22, Abubakar Abubakar,19y, Aliyu Suleiman,35,Paul Martins,38, Hamza Aminu, 23, Bashir Bala, 20, Abdullahi Danmallam, 25, and Musa Emmanuel,20.
Others are Ibrahim Abubakar,20, Buhari Salisu,18,Timothy Simon, 27,Usman Jatan,25, Dangana Zegi,48, Mustapha Yau,30, and Ahmed Mudi,17.
During interrogation, the enraged leader Abdulkadir named all of the individuals who were involved in the crime, as well as roughly twenty-eight more suspects who are still at large.
The Command also released other innocent people who had been wrongfully arrested when the leader recognised the true suspects.
Suspects have been charged and arraigned in a court of competent jurisdiction.
As a result, the CP cautions members of the public and Nigerlite to refrain from taking laws into their own hands and to allow the criminal justice system to take its course in the administration of justice, as there will always be a penalty for every misdeed in conformity with the rule of law.
