Police in Niger State have arrested a 35-year-old man accused of posing as a medical doctor and treating residents in the Kontagora area. The suspect, Aminu Yusuf, from Unguwan-Tukura in Kontagora, was taken into custody on August 24 after police received credible information about his activities, according to the command's Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun.
Yusuf allegedly presented himself as a doctor without any medical background or documents proving he was qualified to practise medicine. Preliminary investigations showed that he administered drugs and injections to several people, collecting ₦30,000 from each patient. Abiodun said the suspect had been treating unsuspecting residents who put their health in his hands. Yusuf is currently being investigated and is expected to face prosecution once the investigation is completed.
In a separate operation, the police command announced the arrest of five suspected members of an armed robbery syndicate accused of terrorising parts of Minna, the Niger State capital. The arrests followed investigations into a robbery at Sauka-Kahuta, where armed men broke into homes in the early hours of August 11 and stole laptops, phones, motorcycles and other valuables.
Detectives from the Tudun-Wada Division arrested the alleged gang leader, 25-year-old Isiya Auwal, on August 17 behind the U.K. Bello Theatre Centre in Minna. Auwal then led officers to other suspected members of the group: Muhammad Tanko, 27; Francis Yusuf, also known as Sisko, 35; and Amir Musa, 28. They were arrested in Tafa, Dikko Junction and Keffi, Nasarawa State.
The suspects confessed to carrying out robbery operations around Mandela, Sauka-Kahuta, Barkin-Sale, Farm Centre and Highpoint in Minna. During the investigation, they identified 50-year-old Ismaila Abdullahi of Angwan-Roka, Maitumbi, as the person responsible for keeping their firearm. Abdullahi was arrested on August 19, leading to the recovery of a Beretta pistol and two rounds of live ammunition.
Police also alleged that the gang sold stolen items to a receiver identified as Ahmed, popularly known as Genuine, from Maitumbi. The five suspects remain in police custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Minna, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the alleged receiver.
The fake doctor case has raised concerns in Kontagora, where residents had reportedly been seeking treatment from Yusuf. Police have not disclosed how long he had been operating or how many patients he treated. The investigation is still in progress, and authorities have not released further details about his methods or the substances he administered.
The two cases highlight separate strands of police work in Niger State, one targeting fraud and the other violent crime. The robbery syndicate's activities had spread across multiple areas of Minna, with the gang allegedly targeting homes in the early hours. The recovery of the Beretta pistol adds a firearms charge to the list of offences the suspects may face.
Police have not said when the suspects will appear in court or what specific charges will be filed. The command continues its investigation into both matters, including the hunt for the alleged receiver of stolen goods. Abiodun confirmed that the suspects are cooperating with investigators and that the case files are being prepared for prosecution.
Source: Pulse.ng
