The police in Niger State on Thursday said it has arrested a suspected car snatcher, Sylvanus Ishaku, as part of its efforts to rid the north-central state of criminals.

In a statement, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, said the suspect was nabbed on February 15 at Ali Gabadna Junction, Paiko, Paikoro Local Government Area of the state while trying to escape with the vehicle. He snatched the vehicle at the Brighter area of Minna, the state capital from a female victim – who was entering her compound –  and zoomed off through Suleja Road.

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“During a search, a toy gun was recovered from the suspect, while preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect snatched the vehicle with the use of the toy gun,” the statement read.

“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime and claimed that he left Dikko to Minna since December 2021 and bought the toy gun at a supermarket in Minna.”

Upon interrogation, the suspect said he resides at an uncompleted building in the Shango area and usually roams about the locality, searching for an appropriate situation and target to strike. The police spokesman accused the suspect of intending to take the vehicle to Abuja for sale to raise money for his personal use, adding that the case is under investigation.

Similarly, police operatives attached to Kagara Division arrested one Tambaya Usman of Jaguwa village via Rafi LGA for the offence of culpable homicide of his cousin, Umar Musa of the same address.

The suspect, who confessed to the police operatives, claimed that he caught the deceased with his wife having sexual intercourse in his room, and as a result, he inflicted machete cut on the deceased’s head which led to his death.

“He further claimed that he had caught the deceased in the same act severally while their parent and relatives had intervened and cautioned the deceased to desist from such act.

“He said the deceased later apologized for the act and promised never to engage in such misdeed, but to his surprise, he caught him again, hence his action. The suspect has been arraigned in court for prosecution,” the police spokesman added.