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A soldier has been arrested by the police for alleged armed robbery and attempted murder after severing a limb of a Minna-based businessman, Abdulrahman Salihu.
Sadiq Sani, a Nigerian Army private, reportedly attacked Mr Salihu on Eid-el-Fitr day at the businessman’s clothing shop.
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Eyewitnesses said the soldier approached the shop to purchase a set of shirts and requested the shop owner’s bank account details to transfer the money.
When the trader reportedly refused to release the items until the payment was confirmed, the suspect allegedly brought out a knife and stabbed Mr Salihu multiple times, severing one of his arms before fleeing the scene.
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Efforts by neighbours to apprehend the suspect immediately after the attack were unsuccessful. However, police operatives from the Central Divisional Command in Minna tracked him to his residence in the Limawa area of the city.
A police source who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to journalists said the soldier resisted arrest and engaged officers in a physical struggle before being subdued.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Mr Sani is a known figure in the local criminal networks in Minna, with past allegations linking him to violent robberies and phone snatching.
A security source told PREMIUM TIMES that the soldier had previously been implicated in incidents that led to multiple fatalities.
The army has since taken over the investigation, with US Ibrahim, a captain with the Military Police 313 Artillery Brigade, Minna, leading the probe. Mr Ibrahim said the suspect would be transferred to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja for disciplinary procedures.
“We are taking him to the Defence Headquarters to formally arraign him for a court martial. After dismissal, he will be handed over to the police for prosecution in a civil court,” Mr Ibrahim said.
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The victim, Mr Salihu, is currently receiving treatment at a specialist hospital in Minna. His condition was described as critical but stable.
When contacted, the Niger State Police Command promised to issue an official statement after the military concludes its internal disciplinary process.
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