The Niger State Police Command says seven suspects have been short-listed for prosecution following investigations into the death of a student of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (IBBUL).
In a document made available to New Daily Prime on Tuesday, the Command Spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun noted that the student, Abdulwahab Jafar, aged 23, was attacked at his lodge in Lapai on 23 June 2025, leading to his death and sparking unrest in the community.
Further details revealed that police tactical teams were deployed to restore calm, while a broader investigation was launched.
The spokesperson explained that 19 persons were initially arrested in Lapai and other parts of the state.
Further scrutiny narrowed the number down to seven key suspects believed to be linked to cult groups and violent attacks around the campus.
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The suspects were named as Idris Hamza (27), Suleiman Damilare (27), Abdulsemiu Bashir (23), Bawa Aliyu (27), Yakubu Musa, also known as Pypa (24), Samson Abbah, also known as Small (28), and Solomon Musa, popularly called Cabella (28).
According to police findings, Hamza and Damilare were picked up on 27 June at Fadikpe with cannabis, charms, and a Toyota Corolla allegedly linked to their activities.
Both men confessed to membership of the Neo Black Movement (NBM) and admitted participating in cult-related operations on the university campus.
Their statement reportedly led to the arrest of Bashir, believed to be a rival cult member of the Vikings. He was found with multiple SIM cards and a POS machine suspected to have been obtained from robbery victims.
Other suspects, including Aliyu, Musa, Abbah, and Cabella, were linked to violent robberies, initiation ceremonies, and destruction of students’ property in the course of their cult rivalry.
The police stressed that investigations are ongoing to identify the group directly responsible for Jafar’s killing, but confirmed the incident was cult-related.
Abiodun assured that further developments would be made public as efforts continue to apprehend other fleeing suspects.
