The Niger State Police Command spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, has disclosed that the operatives have arrested the alleged killer of the former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Adamu Jagaba, with the stolen car.
Speaking with our PUNCH Metro, Abiodun said the suspect, 18-year-old Fatiyah Abdulhakeem, was arrested on Sunday and had confessed to the killing of Jagaba, revealing that he conspired with some of the ex-perm sec’s workers to carry out the crime.
He said, “Fortunately, upon the circulation of the vehicle details to all police points and formation within the state on the same date, at about 7 pm, the Police Crack Squad of the Command intercepted the vehicle along Bosso Estate Road, Minna with the suspect, named Fatiyah Abdulhakeem, aged 18 years of Tayi Village via Bosso, Minna.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to being the victim’s car painter and visited him (the ex-perm sec) at his block industry located at Eastern Bye-pass, via Maitumbi opposite PDP Secretariat Minna.
“He said after discussing changing the vehicle’s bumper, he deliberately stabbed the deceased several times on the head and neck, also hit him multiple times with a stapler in the office and made away with his Toyota Camry vehicle with Reg. No. MNA 61 AE.
“He confessed further that he conspired with some of the deceased workers, who gave him the target and more information in carrying out the crime. He said he has other gang members he does such heinous acts with, as he mentioned their names for investigation. Effort is ongoing to apprehend the members and the suspect will be charged to court for prosecution, immediately after investigation,” Abiodun stated.
Jagaba, who retired from the state Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, also operated a block moulding industry, at the Eastern Bye Pass Minna before his death.
He was said to have arrived at his block industry that morning and decided to fix his faulty car. He invited the panel beater to take a look at the car in the industry. The panel beater drew out a dagger and stabbed him in the head and made his escape with the car.
An eyewitness, Nuhu Abubakar, told PUNCH Metro on Sunday that no argument ensued between the industry owner and the panel beater before the ex-perm sec was stabbed in the head.
According to him, the panel beater had aimed to steal the car.
“The incident happened on Saturday. The panel beater came to Jagaba’s industry to fix the car. There was no argument. The next thing we saw was that the panel beater entered the car and drove away while the perm sec was lying in a pool of his blood and writhing in pain,” Abubakar said.
The Niger State Police Command spokesman, Abiodun, had earlier said the police were investigating the incident .
“On December 7, 2024, at about 3 pm, a report of an incident of culpable homicide was made at Tudun-Wada Division, that at about 11:30 am, a yet-to-be-identified person(s) trespassed to a block industry located along Eastern Bye-pass, Minna attacked and stabbed one Adamu Jagaba on the head and made away with his vehicle.
“The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital where he gave up the ghost and was confirmed dead.”