The village head of Guiwa, Garba Mohammed, and 13 others were arrested for allegedly providing logistical support and providing shelter for the terrorists terrorising communities in the Mashegu Area of Niger State.
According to Zagalola Makama, a security analyst and counterinsurgency expert in Lake Chad, the arrest of the suspects occurred on Friday when a joint team of police, hunters, and vigilantes targeted the bandits’ hideout.
“The arrests were made on May 23, 2025, during an ongoing clearance operation by a joint team of police officers, hunters, and local vigilantes targeting bandits’ camps and hideouts in Guiwa and Telle villages,” Zagalola tweeted.
“The village head, Mai Anguwa Garba Mohammed, was apprehended on reasonable suspicion of providing shelter and logistical support to the bandits. The others arrested are residents from various nearby communities suspected of collaborating with the criminals.
| Names of Suspects | villages |
| Alhaji Abdullahi Shehu | Wawa village, Borgu LGA |
| Umar Abubakar | Gwajibo |
| Musa Mohammed | Telle |
| Mohammed Abubakar | Dukku, Rijau LGA |
| Molema Aliyu; | Pallagi |
| Oro Abubakar | Arera |
| Shehu Alhaji Ardo of Adogon Mallam | Lumma |
| Umar Abdullahi | Lumma |
| Ibrahim Abubakar | Lumma |
| Saidu Mohammed | Lumma |
| Babuga Abdullah | Lumma |
| Mohamadu Bako | Gwajibo |
| Babuga Saidu | Lumma |
“During a search of the village head’s residence, security operatives recovered four motorcycles, one live cartridge, and ten cattle believed to have been stolen by the bandits. Three of the cattle, which were injured, were slaughtered to prevent further suffering,” he said.
Zagalola further stated that sources within police command in the state said investigations into the matter are ongoing and reiterated its commitment to rooting out all collaborators who facilitate banditry in the state.
When our reporter contacted Wasiu Abiodun, the police spokesman in the state, for further information, he confirmed the incident that the village head was arrested on Thursday by police.
Confirming the incident to our reporter, he said, “In furtherance of clearance operations in Mashegu areas against banditry and other violent crimes, on 22nd May, 2025, police operatives and vigilante members conducted clearance operations in some identified kidnappers’ hideouts in Mashegu LGA, such as Magaman-Daji forest and its environs, and in the process, most of the suspected kidnappers fled from the scene, and others were believed to have escaped with gunshot injuries.”
“Similarly, on 23rd May, 2025, at about 9am, in continuation of this operation, the team stormed Guiwa and Telle villages based on credible information received, and the Mai-Angwan of Guiwa village Mall. Garba Mohammed was arrested for screening and aiding banditry activities, using his house as a hideout with the recovery of four motorcycles kept in his custody and ten cattle.”
He further said that thirteen others were also arrested in different locations within Mashegu LGA for similar reasons, adding that they are under interrogation and an investigation is in progress to ascertain their roles and involvement in banditry activities in the area.
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