Inside the Investment Trail of a Rogue Police Officer In Niger

Inside the Investment Trail of a Rogue Police Officer In Niger

By Editor

What began as a routine audit of weapons at a police armoury in Minna has opened a disturbing window into how instruments of state security were allegedly converted into private wealth—ending in a suicide that has shaken the Niger State Police Command. At the centre of the unfolding scandal is Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Isah Abdullahi, known as “Kunkuri,” whose death has turned attention to an alleged investment trail built on missing arms and ammunition.

DSP Abdullahi, until his death on December 17, 2025, served as the head of the armoury at the MOPOL 12 headquarters located at the ‘A’ Divisional Police premises along Paiko Road, Minna. The position placed him in charge of weapons meant to combat violent crime and banditry across parts of Niger State. Investigators now believe that access may have been abused to generate illicit income quietly channelled into personal assets.

The trail began to unravel when a special audit team from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), led by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, arrived at the armoury to verify the Command’s arms and ammunition holdings. According to security sources, the audit exposed alarming gaps in the inventory, with several weapons and ammunition caches missing and unaccounted for.

Preliminary findings revealed that at least 13 AK-47 rifles, more than 2,000 rounds of live ammunition and other assorted firearms could not be traced. “At that point, the investigation shifted from paperwork to profit,” a security source said, noting that attention turned to whether the missing weapons had been monetised.

Investigators say the suspected revenue stream ran through a middleman. A Police Inspector, John Moses, attached to the Niger State Government House, was arrested during the probe. Under interrogation, Moses reportedly admitted that he received arms and ammunition from DSP Abdullahi and delivered them to armed bandits operating around Erena in Shiroro Local Government Area. Payments from the transactions, investigators believe, may have fed directly into the late officer’s personal investments.

As the arms trail widened, so did scrutiny of DSP Abdullahi’s lifestyle. Findings by Daily Independent indicate that the late officer allegedly owned at least two houses in prime areas of Minna metropolis and several vehicles—assets that investigators say appeared disproportionate to his official earnings. “Those properties are now central to the inquiry,” a senior security official disclosed. “We are looking at whether they were acquired with proceeds from arms diversion.”

The financial puzzle came to a tragic halt during the physical inspection of the armoury. As investigators opened boxes expected to contain firearms, many were found empty. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Niger State Command, DSP Wasiu A. Abiodun, recounted the moment during a live radio programme.

“He was bringing out boxes that were supposed to contain arms and ammunition, and most of them were empty,” Abiodun said. “Suddenly, he brought out a pistol and shot himself.” The officer died instantly, cutting short what investigators believe could have been a critical phase of the probe.

In the aftermath, Inspector John Moses was transferred to the NSA office in Abuja for further interrogation, while four other officers attached to the armoury were arrested for alleged negligence. According to Abiodun, 24-hour surveillance has since been imposed on the MOPOL 12 armoury as authorities tighten internal controls.

For security analysts, the case illustrates a grim convergence of insecurity and illicit enrichment. “When weapons meant to protect the public are diverted for profit, the harm is doubled,” a security source said. “You empower criminals and you reward betrayal.”

As investigations continue, the houses and vehicles allegedly linked to DSP Abdullahi now stand as silent evidence in a wider national reckoning—one that seeks to understand how arms became assets, and how a quest for wealth ended in a fatal act that has left lasting scars on public trust.