A police inspector attached to the Niger State Government House in Minna has died by suicide while in detention, following his arrest over alleged involvement in supplying arms and ammunition to bandits and criminals. The officer, identified as Inspector John Moses, an indigene of Shiroro Local Government Area, reportedly took his own life on Sunday, December 21, 2025, by repeatedly hitting his head against the wall of his detention cell until he collapsed and died.
This incident marks the second suicide linked to the ongoing investigation, coming less than a week after DSP Isah Abdullahi (also known as Kunkuri), the Officer in Charge of the Mopol 12 armoury at B Division on Paikoro Road, Minna, shot himself on December 16, 2025, during an arms audit. Abdullahi had been arrested on December 15 amid allegations of diverting weapons.
Moses was one of five police personnel arrested alongside Abdullahi after an audit revealed missing AK-47 rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition from the armoury. During interrogation, Moses allegedly confessed that Abdullahi supplied him with arms, which were then passed to bandits in Erena community, Shiroro LGA, via intermediaries including Moses' brother.
Sources indicate preliminary findings uncovered substantial funds—over a hundred million naira—in Moses' accounts, along with properties in the state and involvement in timber business, raising questions about illicit gains.
The Niger State Police Command's Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, described reports of the suicide as "mere speculations," stating the case is under the National Security Adviser (NSA)'s office, with no official confirmation from local police.
The probe, involving the NSA, began after a routine audit flagged discrepancies. A special team now guards the armoury. Additional officers face negligence charges for lapses during Abdullahi's audit.
These events highlight concerns over internal security breaches fueling banditry in Niger State, particularly Shiroro, plagued by attacks. The suicides underscore pressures on implicated personnel amid national efforts to curb arms proliferation.
Investigations continue, with potential broader implications for police accountability.
