The Niger State Police Command has revealed how 12 security guards allegedly conspired to vandalise and steal navigation lock metals and beams worth ₦4.8 billion from the Kainji Power Plant.
The suspects were arrested in New Bussa after one of the security supervisors, Shaibu Abu Sufyan, confessed to participating in the crime.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed that the case was transferred from the New Bussa Division to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna. He said two suspects, Sufyan and one Ibrahim Musa, were initially arrested in connection with a criminal complaint received from Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd., the operators of the power plant.
According to Abiodun, the company had complained that “an inspection was conducted in the navigation lock yard of Kainji Power Plant at Kaya Junction and discovered that some navigation lock metals and beams were vandalised and stolen by unknown persons valued over ₦4.8bn.”
He explained further: “The New Bussa Division arrested the two suspects who were security supervisors at the power plant, transferred the case to SCID Minna, and the operatives of the SCID, led by DSP Ahmed Saidu, commenced further investigation. Abu Sufyan, who initially denied the alleged crime, later confessed when confronted with facts.”
Abiodun disclosed that Sufyan later admitted to carrying out the act with 10 other suspects, all of whom were security staff under him, and they were subsequently arrested.
The police spokesman said: “Preliminary investigation revealed that all suspects conspired and contacted one Musa Khalid, Abah Khalid, and Abdullahi, who are major scrap dealers in Nasarawa village of Mashegu Local Government, and mobilised to the location of the navigation lock gates.”
He added that “Musa Khalid and others usually moved to the location with acetylene gas mostly during weekends at night, vandalised the metals, cut into sizes, and used a crane to load them into canter trucks. This has been happening since 2023–2025.”
The stolen items, according to the police, were usually taken to Musa Khalid’s shop in Nasarawa village, where they were weighed to determine their value before payments were made and proceeds shared among the suspects.
Abiodun further revealed that investigation showed Khalid had numerous agents through whom the items were sold to different companies in Lagos, Kwara, and Osun States.
