Niger State Police Command says on November 4, 2025, at about 5 pm, based on intelligence received, its operatives of FID STS in Niger State arrested one Zuwaira Usman, 35 years, of Pandogari, in Rafi Local Council of the state.
A statement issued by the spokesman of the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed that the suspect was arrested based on information that she specialised in transporting ammunition for hoodlums.
During interrogation, she revealed that she met one Lawali in Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State, in September 2025, where they exchanged phone numbers and, in the course of their interaction, Lawali requested that she travel to Warri, Delta State, to collect a package for him.
The statement said she claimed that N22,000 was given to her as transport fare by Lawali, and that she proceeded on the journey, pointing out that upon arriving in Abuja, Lawali spoke with the driver and informed him where she would be dropped off in Warri.
Zuwaira further narrated that upon reaching her destination, she met a man on a motorcycle who gave her a sack containing a flask with items to deliver to Lawali. She later identified the man as Ahmed, who also gave her an additional N30,000 for her transport back to Kaduna. She took the item and returned to Abuja, then to Kaduna State.
According to the statement, Zuwaira took the bag to Lawali in Birnin-Gwari, and it was discovered that a total of 2,500 AK-47 ammunition was contained in the flask delivered to Lawali.
The statement added that Ahmed was later intercepted and arrested in Delta State, while efforts are ongoing to arrest Lawali, as investigations intensify.
In other news, kidnappers have abducted 18 passengers along the Benin-Akure highway, near Obarenren village, Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The kidnappers were said to have fired sporadically before taking their victims into the bush.
Edo State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the incident in Benin on Monday.
Ikoedem, while stating that a joint security operation had launched a manhunt for the abductors, added that a “massive bush combing led to the rescue of 11 victims.
The PPRO, who said efforts were on to rescue other victims, noted: “The incident happened last Saturday. The passengers were in an 18-seater Big Joe bus. We have been combing the bush in collaboration with the Nigerian Army.
“No arrest has been made yet.”
In other news, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Niger State Police Command have arraigned eight suspected members of a child-trafficking syndicate before Minna Chief Magistrate Court I for allegedly trafficking and trading in children.
The suspects were arrested by the squad led by its head, DSP Ahmed Sa’idu, and subsequently charged before the court.
According to the police, the suspects were apprehended in Nasarawa State while in possession of children allegedly stolen from various parts of Niger State.
Those arraigned are Leo Ugochukwu, Ngozi Ugochukwu, Henrietta Obiako, Rosemary Ogbulogo, Chiroma Onyaja, Vincent Emmanuel, Joy Ndife, and Olusegun Isaiah, all residents of Nyanya in the Federal Capital Territory and parts of Nasarawa State.
They were charged with eight counts, including criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, concealing or keeping kidnapped persons, dealing in the sale of human beings, child stealing, trafficking in persons, indecent treatment of children, wrongful confinement, and wrongful confinement in secret.
