The Kogi State Police Command has apprehended two individuals with prior convictions for serious crimes, who are believed to be responsible for the killing of a recent university graduate. The stolen tricycle belonging to the victim has also been recovered.
According to ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, the command's spokesperson, the arrests were the result of a meticulously planned operation driven by intelligence.
The victim, identified as Aminu Abubakar, resided in the Otokiti area of Lokoja and was preparing to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program. He had departed his home with his tricycle for work on the day of the incident but failed to return, raising alarm among his family.
His body was subsequently discovered near the CBN area in Zone 8, Lokoja.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) stated that the Homicide Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department initiated a thorough investigation that culminated in the apprehension of the two suspects, identified as Garba Godwin Ibrahim and Ashema Usman Samson.
The PPRO further revealed that both suspects have previous convictions for armed robbery and culpable homicide, with alleged links to the deaths of over sixteen individuals.
Initial findings indicate that the suspects posed as construction workers and tricked the victim into a secluded area. There, they assaulted him with a shovel and made off with his tricycle.
A statement from the command detailed the operation: "In a decisive breakthrough against violent crime, the Kogi State Police Command has successfully dismantled a deadly criminal operation, leading to the arrest of notorious suspects involved in a gruesome case of culpable homicide and armed robbery, as well as the recovery of stolen tricycles and motorcycles through a well-coordinated, intelligence-led operation."
The report of the homicide concerning Aminu Abubakar, a resident of Otokiti, Lokoja, was received by the Command on March 18, 2026. The victim, a graduate of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University awaiting his NYSC call-up, left home that morning on his tricycle to earn a living but never returned. His family became concerned before his body was found near the CBN area, Zone 8, Lokoja.
Operatives from the Homicide Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) responded promptly, launching a discreet and thorough investigation using intelligence and tactical resources.
These investigative efforts led to the arrest of Garba Godwin Ibrahim and Ashema Usman Samson.
Evidence suggests the suspects lured the victim to a secluded spot near where his body was found by pretending to be construction workers. They then attacked him with a shovel.
Autopsy reports confirmed that the victim suffered multiple severe blows to the back of his head from the blunt side of the shovel, causing extensive skull fractures and fatal internal injuries.
The arrested individuals confessed that the murder was premeditated and intended to facilitate the theft of the victim's tricycle.
Further investigations uncovered that the suspects had disposed of the victim’s tricycle by selling it to Kabiru Idris of Ayingba. This lead prompted the operatives to extend their pursuit, resulting in Idris's arrest.
A search of Idris's residence led to the recovery of the victim's tricycle, along with four other motorcycles suspected to be stolen.
Idris admitted to regularly dealing with the two suspects and receiving stolen goods from other armed robbers.
It was also revealed that the primary suspects, Garba Godwin Ibrahim and Ashema Usman Samson, are repeat offenders, having been previously convicted for armed robbery and culpable homicide, and linked to the deaths of more than sixteen people.
The investigation into this case has concluded, and the suspects have been presented before Magistrate Court 5, Lokoja, where they have been remanded in custody.
The Commissioner of Police for Kogi State Command, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, commended the operatives for their diligence and professionalism. He reassured the public of the Command's commitment to eradicating criminal elements within the state.
"He urges residents to remain vigilant and continue to support the Police with timely and credible information,” the statement concluded.
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to comment.
Be the first to comment on this article!