Four arrested over killing of man, 30, in Minna

Police in Minna, Niger State, have arrested four individuals suspected of killing 30-year-old Sunday Pada in the Korokpan area. Pada, from Gogala village, was allegedly attacked and fatally stabbed on August 10. The police stated that the suspects were identified after three were found in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following a sting operation.

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Police operatives attached to Paiko Division moved to the scene, but the suspects had escaped before their arrival.

The victim was reportedly returning from a friend's house when an alarm was raised, accusing him of being a thief. The suspects allegedly intercepted him, severely beat him, and then stabbed him. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The four suspects, identified as Ibrahim Abubakar, Aliyu Onah, Godwin Musa, and Aminu Bawa, are all residents of Korokpan, Minna.

Preliminary investigations by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna are ongoing, focusing on alleged criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide. The incident has renewed concerns about the dangers of mob justice and residents taking the law into their own hands based on unverified allegations. Police urged the public to report suspected criminal activity to law enforcement instead of resorting to violence.

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The deceased was returning from a friend’s house when an alarm was raised, allegedly accusing him of being a thief.

In a separate incident, police in Rijau Local Government Area recovered an AK-47 rifle, ammunition, and other firearms along a suspected bandit route near Krusha-Genu village on August 15. The recovery followed intelligence about concealed weapons. The recovered items are in police custody.

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The incident has again drawn attention to the dangers of mob action and the growing concern over residents taking the law into their own hands following unverified allegations of criminality.