Police nab soldier over alleged robbery, assault
The Police in Niger State have arrested a soldier, Private Sadiq Sani, for alleged armed robbery and assaulting a Niger State businessman Abdulrahman Salihu.
Sani was said to have visited Salihu’s shop on the Eid-el-Fitr day purportedly to make a purchase of a set of shirts. After the transaction, Sani demanded the account details from the shop owner under the pretext of initiating emoney transfer into his account.
Arewa PUNCH gathered that it later turned out that Sani allegedĺy sent a fake alert to Salihu, who, following his a suspicion of the transation, told him to let the money drop into his account before he would be allowed to take his purchase.
The soldier, who was alleged to be a notorious and habitual criminal, to the surprise of Salihu, brought out a sharp knife, with which he inflicted several cuts on Salihu.
The suspect was said to have chopped off Salihu’s arm and taken to his heels as all efforts to catch up with him and apprehend him by some neighbours proved abortive as he escaped to his house in the Limawa area of Minna.
However, the soldier was later traced to his house by heavily armed policemen from the Central Divisional Police Command during which he was said to have engaged the police in a free for all before he was overpowered and whisked away.
Arewa PUNCH learnt that the incident was reported to the military police in Minna, Niger State and one Captain U.S Ibrahim from the 313 Brigade headquarters of Minna Cantonment was detailed to carry out full scale Investigation of the case with a view to taking him to the defence headquarters in Abuja for further action.
“We are taking him to the defence headquarters to formally arraign him to face court martial for his dismissal after which will be brought back to the police for his prosecution in court,” Ibrahim was quoted to have said.
Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Niger State Police Command Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the incident and said Sani and an accomplice were arrested and taken to the SCID for further investigation and prosecution.
The Police imagemaker narrated thus: “On 30/3/2025 at about 3pm, one Abdulrahman Salisu, 26 years, of Abdusalam quarters was brought to the Central Police Station, Minna with three of his fingers cut-off.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim who sells shoes around Makera area of Minna had a misunderstanding with a suspected soldier, one Sadiq Sani, who had visited the shop to buy a pair of shoes in the victim’s shop.
“An argument ensued as a result of payment, following which the suspected soldier removed a cutlass from his trousers and attempted to cut the victim on the head, but Salisu was able to use his hand to block his head and the soldier man eventually cut-off three fingers of the victim and escaped from the scene.
“The suspect was later arrested at his residence in Makera area of Minna with one other person. Both suspects have been transferred to the SCID Minna for further investigation and prosecution,” Abiodun revealed.
