Four Suspects Arrested in Niger State for Farmer’s Murder and Cable Vandalism

The Niger State Police have arrested four individuals in connection with the murder of a farmer and other crimes, including kidnapping and vandalism of electricity cables.

According to Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, one suspect is accused of hiring kidnappers to abduct a farmer named Jonah Isah, who was later killed. The arrest of a 29-year-old man from Zawudna Village took place on September 27, 2026, following complaints from victims who had been rescued from kidnappers.

The police reported that the suspect, Yahaya, admitted to hiring another man, Bashiru, to carry out the kidnapping in June 2026. Isah was described as a large-scale farmer. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of ₦2.1 million for the release of Isah’s family and others they had taken.

After Isah’s death, the suspect allegedly took over his farmland. Yahaya has been moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Minna for further questioning, and police are working to find his accomplices.

In a separate incident, a 25-year-old man was arrested for vandalizing an armoured cable belonging to a community transformer in Sarkin-Pawa. He was caught with the damaged cable in the early hours of October 2, 2026, and confessed to intending to sell it to scrap dealers.

Additionally, two other suspects, aged 22 and 27, were arrested for stealing armoured cables worth over ₦700,000 from a transformer in the Barkin-Sale area. They were caught after police received a report about the theft on October 6, 2026. The stolen cables were recovered, and the suspects are also under investigation.