Police Nab 13 Additional Suspects Over ₦4.8 Billion Vandalism at Kainji Power Plant
Story written by Daniel October 9,2025
The Niger State Police Command has apprehended 13 more individuals linked to the massive theft and vandalism of navigation lock metals and beams worth over ₦4.8 billion at the Kainji Power Plant.
This latest arrest comes weeks after 12 suspects were earlier paraded for alleged conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and vandalism of the power infrastructure, following a report filed by Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited (MSEL) on August 12, 2025.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the new arrests were made on September 26, 2025, by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna.
Investigations revealed that two of the suspects — Abubakar Jibril (51), a storekeeper from Borgu LGA, and Abdullateef Musa (53), an internal control officer from Kwara State — are employees of Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited. They allegedly conspired to steal 100 new 40-amp batteries from the company’s store, concealed them among items slated for auction, and sold them for personal gain.
Other suspects arrested include Aliyu Salihu (42), Ishaq Suleiman Adam (35), Timothy Joseph (32), and Abdulmalik Jimmy Gudah (33), who were security guards at the facility. They reportedly assisted in moving and selling the stolen metals, receiving a share of the proceeds.
Additional suspects, Joseph Steven (36) and Babangida Abdullahi (42), both cleaners at MSEL, were also implicated in stealing and selling some of the vandalized materials.
Others named in the police report are Labaran Haruna (20), Haruna Usman (40), Shuaibu Hassan (48), Musa Salihu (24), and Sabon Mati (47), with some identified as scrap metal dealers and others alleged to have helped conceal the stolen components.
Police investigations further revealed that a large shackle — a vital metal component used to secure lock gates — was recovered from one of the suspects, Labaran, who admitted to purchasing it from Haruna, an alleged vigilante attached to the site.
According to SP Abiodun, the suspects are currently in custody and undergoing further interrogation to identify additional accomplices and recover stolen items. He assured that all those found culpable will be charged to court upon the completion of investigations.
