John Adams, Minna
The Niger State Police Command has apprehended two persons for allegedly providing medical treatment and drug supplies to armed bandits in the Mariga Local Government Area of the state.
Security operatives apprehended the two suspects, Habila Abel Julius 25 and Abdullahi Garba 30, after administering injection and administering other drugs on some of the wounded bandits. It was gathered that the bandits had approached the duo at their patent medicine store, where they were allegedly handed bottles of painkillers injection to be administered on them.
Afterward, the bandits according to police source, asked the patent medicine dealers to be supply them with the painkiller injections and other drugs, which they agreed to. However, it was in the process of keeping to the deal that the police arrested them though the bandits were said to have escaped.
They did not deny the allegation, but said they acted, “under duress” because the bandits threatened to kill them if they report to the police. One of them confessed that they were paid for the transaction. Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mohammad Abubakar confirmed the story, saying, the investigation into the crime was still ongoing.
In the meantime, six out of the 20 victims kidnapped during last Saturday’s bandit raids on some communities in Borgu Local Government Area of the state have been rescued.
In a related development, the police have arrested three persons suspected to be acting as informants to the bandits. The arrests were made by the Inspector General of Police Tactical Squad deployed to the area.