The Niger State Police Command has arrested seven suspects linked to cult-related activities at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (IBBUL), following the gruesome killing of a student earlier this year. The police confirmed that the arrests were part of a wider operation aimed at dismantling criminal networks operating within and around the institution.
Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday. He recalled that on June 23, 2025, at about 3:00 am, 23-year-old Abdulwahab Jafar of Paiko, a student of IBBUL, was brutally attacked at his lodge in Lapai, leading to his death. The killing sparked fear and unrest in the university community and beyond.
Following the incident, tactical teams were immediately deployed to restore peace in Lapai and its environs. Investigations were jointly carried out by the Tactical Support Team and the Force Intelligence Department, leading to the arrest of 19 suspects across Lapai and other parts of the state. After careful profiling, seven were identified as the main culprits in the cult-related attacks.
Abiodun explained that the suspects would face charges of criminal conspiracy, robbery, unlawful society membership, internet fraud, possession of dangerous weapons, and suspected culpable homicide. He emphasized that the command was determined to curb cultism and violent crimes in Niger State.
The suspects were identified as: Idris Hamza (27) and Suleiman Damilare (27), both of Maikunkele; Abdulsemiu Bashir (23) of Lapai; Bawa Aliyu (27) of Suleja; Yakubu Musa (24) of Maikunkele; Samson Abbah (28) of Rafin-Yanshi; and Solomon Musa (28) of Maitumbi.
According to the police, Hamza and Damilare were arrested on June 27 at Fadikpe with cannabis, charms, and local black soap. They were apprehended alongside a Toyota Corolla vehicle at the residence of one Abdullahi Ahmed, also known as “Catch-up.” During interrogation, the duo confessed to being members of the Neo Black Movement of Africa (NBM) and admitted their involvement in cult initiation and other activities on campus.
In another arrest, Abdulsemiu Bashir, suspected to be a rival member of the Vikings confraternity, was nabbed on June 29 in Lapai. Police recovered 16 SIM cards, a POS machine, and ₦77,000 cash from him. Investigations revealed the SIM cards were stolen from robbery victims. He confessed that he bought them from one Audu, a fellow Vikings member currently at large.
The other suspects—Bawa Aliyu, Yakubu Musa, Samson Abbah, and Solomon Musa—were also tied to cult-related robberies and violent attacks targeting students. Abiodun noted that Abbah served as the “Admin Officer” of a WhatsApp platform used by the cult group’s Minna zone. Initially named “Men that Matters”, the group later disguised its activities under the name “Football News” to evade detection.
Abiodun said investigations are ongoing to identify the cultists directly responsible for the murder of Jafar. “Efforts are being intensified to trace other members of NBM and Vikings involved in the killing. It has been established that the attack on the deceased was cult-related,” he confirmed.
The police further assured the public that updates would be provided as investigations progress. They appealed to students, staff, and residents of Lapai to remain calm and cooperate with law enforcement agencies by providing credible information that could aid in arresting other suspects.
In a separate operation, the Niger Police Command also arrested three suspects for motorcycle theft. On September 9, Bashir Yahaya, 23, of Fadikpe, was intercepted with a sack containing dismantled motorcycle parts. He confessed to stealing two motorcycles in Fadikpe and selling the parts at Sabon-Gari and Kasuwan-Gwari markets in Minna.
Earlier, on September 4, the command arrested Lawali Bello, 27, of Iri Village in Rijau, for stealing a Bajaj motorcycle. He was apprehended after police surveillance traced him with the stolen bike. Bello confessed to the crime and has since been charged to court for prosecution.
The Niger State Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety of students and residents in Lapai and across the state. Abiodun stressed that cultism, robbery, and other violent crimes would not be tolerated, and offenders would face the full weight of the law.
