Police Arrest Five Suspects Over Alleged Money Ritual Attempt in Niger State
Police Arrest Five Suspects Over Alleged Money Ritual Attempt in Niger State
Police Arrest Five Suspects Over Alleged Money Ritual Attempt in Niger State
The Niger State Police Command has arrested five suspects over alleged criminal conspiracy, possession of criminal charms, ill-treatment of domestic animals and attempted initiation into an unlawful society in connection with a suspected money ritual in Minna.
The suspects were arrested on October 2026, at about 8:30 p.m. in an isolated compound in the Garima area of Minna by operatives of the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit following intelligence reports about suspicious activities at the location.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, identified the suspects as Mohammed Idris Dogara, 57, from Nasarawa State but residing in Bosso; Aliyu Sule, 25, from Bosso; Abubakar Abdullahi, 40, from New Garima, Bosso; Ibrahim Mohammed Hamisu, 43, from Bosso; and Shehu Abubakar, 40, from Maikunkele, who was identified as a native doctor.
Items recovered at the scene included blood-stained red and white pieces of cloth, four calabashes, two live chickens, three slaughtered chickens, a blood-stained knife and a large mat.
According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that four of the suspects allegedly approached Shehu Abubakar to perform a money ritual using a human skeleton they claimed to have discovered during mining activities.
The native doctor reportedly rejected their request, explaining that he did not engage in such practices. However, the four suspects allegedly persisted and offered their biological children as sacrifices in exchange for different amounts of money.
The police further disclosed that after repeated pressure from the suspects, the native doctor allegedly instructed them to purchase chickens and assemble at a designated location for the ritual.
Police operatives reportedly stormed the compound while the alleged ritual was underway. Aliyu Sule was allegedly found holding a blood-stained knife and preparing to slaughter his chicken, while three other suspects had already slaughtered theirs.
The command said the suspects had made statements during interrogation and that investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
The police added that the suspects would be charged before a court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Police Arrest Five Suspects Over Alleged Money Ritual Attempt in Niger State
