Police in Kogi State have arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of a fresh graduate of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and recovered the victim’s stolen tricycle.
The victim, Aminu Abubakar, a resident of the Otokiti area of Lokoja, had recently graduated from the university and was awaiting mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps.
According to a statement issued in the early hours of Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, the arrests followed a coordinated intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Kogi State Police Command.
Afusat said Aminu left his home with his tricycle in search of passengers and daily income, but failed to return, raising concerns among family members.
His lifeless body was later discovered near the Central Bank of Nigeria area in Zone 8, Lokoja.
The police spokesperson said detectives from the Homicide Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department launched an investigation that led to the arrest of two principal suspects, Garba Godwin Ibrahim and Ashema Usman Samson.
Preliminary findings showed that the suspects allegedly disguised themselves as construction workers before luring the victim to a secluded area where he was attacked and killed.
“Investigation revealed that the suspects attacked the victim with a shovel. Autopsy results confirmed that he sustained multiple severe blows to the back of the head, which led to his death,” Afusat said.
She added that the suspects confessed that the murder was planned in order to dispossess the victim of his tricycle.
After killing him, the suspects allegedly took away the tricycle and sold it to one Kabiru Idris in Ayingba.
Police operatives later tracked down and arrested Idris. A search conducted at his residence led to the recovery of the victim’s tricycle as well as four other motorcycles suspected to have been stolen.
According to the police, Idris admitted to buying stolen property from criminal gangs.
Further investigations also revealed that the two main suspects are ex-convicts who had previously been linked to cases of armed robbery and homicide.
Afusat said the investigation has been concluded and all the suspects have been arraigned before Magistrate Court 5 in Lokoja, where they were remanded in custody pending further proceedings.
The Commissioner of Police in Kogi State, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, commended the operatives for their professionalism and urged residents to remain vigilant and continue to provide the police with useful information that could help in fighting crime.
