Kogi Police Apprehend Notorious Ex-Convicts for Gruesome Murder of Fresh Graduate
The Kogi State Police Command has successfully arrested two notorious ex-convicts involved in the brutal murder of a recent university graduate who was awaiting mobilization for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). In a significant breakthrough, the police also recovered the victim's stolen tricycle and four additional motorcycles suspected to be stolen property.
Intelligence-Led Operation Leads to Arrests
According to a statement released by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, on April 7, 2026, the arrests followed a well-coordinated, intelligence-led operation. The victim, identified as Aminu Abubakar, a resident of the Otokiti area in Lokoja and a fresh graduate of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, left his home on March 18, 2026, with his tricycle but failed to return, causing immediate concern among his family members.
His lifeless body was later discovered in the vicinity of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) area in Zone 8, Lokoja. Acting swiftly on the report, operatives from the Homicide Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department launched a discreet and painstaking investigation, deploying both intelligence and tactical resources to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killing.
Suspects Identified as Dangerous Ex-Convicts
The sustained investigative efforts led to the arrest of two suspects: Garba Godwin Ibrahim and Ashema Usman Samson. Investigation revealed that these individuals are ex-convicts previously convicted for cases of armed robbery and culpable homicide. Shockingly, they were linked to the deaths of over sixteen persons in past criminal activities, highlighting their dangerous and violent backgrounds.
The police disclosed that the suspects posed as construction workers and deceitfully lured the victim to a secluded location near where his body was found. There, they attacked him with a shovel, resulting in fatal injuries. Autopsy results confirmed that Aminu Abubakar sustained multiple severe blows to the back of his head with the blunt end of the shovel, causing extensive skull fractures and fatal intracranial injuries.
Premeditated Crime and Recovery of Stolen Items
During interrogation, the suspects admitted that the act was premeditated, carried out with the sole intention of dispossessing the victim of his tricycle. Following this admission, police extended their investigation, leading to the arrest of Kabiru Idris from Ayingba, who was found to have purchased the stolen tricycle. A search conducted at his residence resulted in the recovery of the victim's tricycle alongside four other motorcycles suspected to have been stolen.
Kabiru Idris admitted to ongoing dealings with the two principal suspects and further confessed to receiving stolen items from other criminal elements involved in armed robbery activities. This revelation underscores the broader network of criminal operations that the police are working to dismantle.
Legal Proceedings and Police Assurance
Investigation into the case has been concluded, and the suspects have been charged to Magistrate Court 5 in 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 assured the public of the Command's unwavering commitment to rid the state of criminal elements and urged residents to remain vigilant, continuing to support the police with timely and credible information.
This arrest marks a decisive step in combating violent crime in Kogi State, demonstrating the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing in addressing serious offenses and bringing perpetrators to justice.
