Suspected illegal miners raid Niger estate, cart away valuables

Forum 3 days ago

Suspected illegal miners raid Niger estate, cart away valuables

Over a dozen armed robbers, suspected to be illegal miners, stormed MI Wushishi Estate in Minna on Saturday, raiding six flats and carting away valuables and cash.

The attack, which occurred around 2am, lasted over an hour, with no intervention from security operatives.

Residents of the estate, which comprises over 700 flats, have expressed growing frustration over repeated attacks linked to illegal miners who operate in the area due to its rich gold deposits.

One resident, Abdullahi Abubakar, recounted how the estate was targeted in November by robbers who ransacked several homes. “The illegal miners have made it impossible for us to live peacefully,” he said.

Dan Yaya, the son of a former Head of Service in Niger State, detailed his terrifying encounter with the robbers during the raid. He revealed that some of the attackers demanded money and took away mobile phones.

“My wife spotted someone standing by my car outside the gate around 2am. When she questioned him, he claimed to be a vigilante. Moments later, two men jumped over the fence and entered our compound,” Yaya said.

He described how the robbers accessed his flat, threatened his family, and forced him to hand over N29,000, along with mobile phones.

Yaya also suspected that the robbers had insider information, as one of them wore a face mask and seemed familiar with the estate’s layout.

When contacted, the Commissioner for Homeland Security, Muhammad Bello, confirmed the incident and assured residents that security agencies were working to restore order.

“The incident indeed happened, and the security agencies are on top of it. However, these robbers caused havoc and panic before getting away,” Bello said.

However, Niger State Police Command spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun stated that no report of the robbery had been filed with the Police.

“I have not received any report about this incident from any station,” he said on Tuesday..