Niger State Police Capture Notorious Bandit ‘Babuga Datijo’ and Informants, Recover Over N5 Million.
The Niger State Police Command has apprehended a notorious bandit known as Umar Aliyu, alias Babuga Datijo, in Magama Local Government Area. Alongside the suspect, four suspected informants were also paraded by State Commissioner of Police, CP Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamman, on Wednesday, December 20, 2023.
CP Danmamman revealed that the arrest, made on November 24, 2023, was facilitated by credible information from operatives in the Nasko Division. Recovered from Datijo were N5 million, three ATM cards, a driver’s license, four mobile phones, three locally crafted AK-47 rifles, and two Toyota Corolla vehicles.
The Commissioner disclosed that following Datijo’s arrest, his gang attempted to attack the Nasko Division to free him. Unbeknownst to the attackers, the suspect had been relocated to the State Police Headquarters in Minna.
“On 24/11/2023 at about 1300hrs, based on credible information received that one suspected kidnapper by name Umar Aliyu (a.k.a Babuga Datijo) 37yrs ‘m’ of Kwali, FCT Abuja was sighted driving a Toyota Corolla vehicle with Reg. No. KTU-906-HM along Salka-Raba village, Magama LGA. The Police operatives attached to Nasko Division mobilized to the area and arrested the suspect,” the CP stated.
During preliminary investigation, items recovered included N5.12 million, three ATM cards, three National Identity cards, two other Identity cards, a driver’s license, and four handsets. Datijo confessed to kidnapping activities in various states, with the money recovered being his share from a ransom collected in Nasko.
The suspect revealed his association with a bandit group led by Poyi, naming other members as Maidabo and Shaibu Haruna. In response to Datijo’s arrest, his gang attacked Nasko Division on 27/11/2023, unaware that he had been moved to State Police Headquarters.
In subsequent investigations, informants Motse Mohammed and Aliya Mohammed were arrested for their roles in contacting the bandits before the attack. The Police discovered that the bandits had sent ten thousand naira to the informants through a POS point in Salka.
To trace Maidabo and Shaibu Haruna, the Police arrested Zubaida Sanusi, a student in Kontagora, who had Shaibu’s phone number saved as “Kudi-banza” (illegal money). Zubaida implicated Aisha Mohammed in introducing her to Shaibu, who would spend money on her.
Alh. Bello Fari, suspected of having a connection with Maidabo, was arrested within Mokwa-Ibbi area through an informant. It was revealed that Fari, lacking a legitimate means of livelihood, initially denied knowing Maidabo but later admitted to being friends with him, assisting the Police in their investigation.