18 Year old panel beater kills Ex-Niger Permanent Secretary

Operatives from the Niger State Police Command confirmed on Sunday the arrest of Fatiyah Abdulhakeem, an 18-year-old panel beater, for the alleged murder of former Permanent Secretary of the State Government, Adamu Jagaba.

Abdulhakeem is accused of stabbing the victim in the head and stealing his car. Jagaba, who had retired from the State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, also ran a block moulding business at the Eastern Bye Pass in Minna, the state capital, before his death. The victim was reportedly rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead by medical professionals. An eyewitness, Nuhu Abubakar, informed our correspondent on Sunday that there was no argument before the attack. “The incident occurred on Saturday. The panel beater came to Jagaba’s business to repair a car. There was no quarrel. Suddenly, we saw the panel beater enter the car and drive off while the Permanent Secretary was left lying in a pool of blood, writhing in pain,” Abubakar said. Wasiu Abiodun, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, confirmed the incident, adding that the alleged killer had been arrested along with the stolen car. Abiodun stated, “On 7 December 2024, at approximately 3 pm, a report of a culpable homicide was made at Tudun-Wada Division. It was reported that at about 11.30 am, an unidentified person(s) attacked Adamu Jagaba at his block industry on the Eastern Bye-pass, Minna, stabbing him in the head before making off with his vehicle. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was confirmed dead.” The police spokesman further revealed that the suspect confessed to the crime and stated that he had conspired with some of Jagaba’s workers to carry out the murder. “Following the local circulation of the vehicle’s details to all police points and formations in the state, the Police Crack Squad intercepted the stolen vehicle along Bosso Estate Road, Minna, at around 7 pm on the same day. The suspect, Fatiyah Abdulhakeem, aged 18, from Tayi Village, Bosso, Minna, was arrested,” Abiodun added. During questioning, Abdulhakeem admitted to being the victim’s car painter and visiting him at the block industry to discuss replacing the vehicle bumper. He then deliberately stabbed Jagaba multiple times on the head and neck, also striking him with a stapler, before fleeing with the Toyota Camry, registration number MNA 61 AE. The suspect further confessed that he had conspired with some of the deceased’s workers, who had provided him with information about the victim. He also revealed that he had accomplices who were involved in similar crimes, naming them for investigation. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the other members of the gang, and the suspect will be charged in court after the investigation.