A 34-year-old ex-convict, Abdulmalik Abdullahi, has been convicted and sentenced to a total of four years in a correctional facility by Chief Magistrate Hajiya Rahamatu Adamu Gado of Minna Chief Magistrate Court No. 2.
By Uthman Baba-Sirajdeen, Minna
Abdullahi was found guilty on four counts of criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass, mischief, and theft.
According to Police Prosecutor, Inspector Aliyu Yakubu Kuta, the offences are punishable under Sections 60, 348, 327, and 283 of the Niger State Penal Code Law, 2025.
The Police First Information Report (FIR), marked MN/CM/CR/32/2025 and obtained by our reporter, stated that on June 1, 2025, at about 9:00 p.m., Flight Lieutenant Arabio Mohammed Hussain of the Nigerian Air Force Base, Maikunkele, Minna, reported the case at GRA Police Station.
He alleged that his neighbour’s gateman, Adamu, who was in possession of his house’s spare key, informed him that some thieves had broken into his house the previous night and stolen a 12.5kg gas cylinder valued at ₦67,000.
Further investigation revealed that the suspect, Abdulmalik Abdullahi of Bajego area, Minna, conspired with Sha’aban Dogo, who is currently at large, to commit the crime.
“They criminally trespassed into the apartment, maliciously destroyed an air conditioner by cutting its pipe—causing damage valued at ₦300,000,” the report stated.
Abdullahi was later arrested with the stolen items while his accomplice escaped. During police investigation, he confessed to the crime and admitted that the stolen gas cylinder was sold to a scrap scavenger (popularly known as yan gwogwoni) for ₦8,500.
When the four-count charges were read to him in court, Abdullahi pleaded guilty. The prosecutor, Inspector Kuta, urged the court to summarily convict him under Section 190 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Niger State, 2021.
In her judgment, Magistrate Gado observed that the convict’s previous criminal record demonstrated a pattern of behaviour deserving a more severe punishment.
“The court is tasked with protecting the society and deterring you from committing the same or similar offences again,” she declared.
She therefore sentenced Abdullahi to four years in correctional custody without an option of fine on three of the charges, while one charge carried a ₦200,000 fine option.
The sentences are to run consecutively.
