Easter tragedy: GTB driver fatally stabbed while assisting vigilantes in Minna

Easter Sunday ended in heartbreak for the residents of Fadikpe community in Minna, Niger State, after Mohamed Abo’ore, a driver with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), was stabbed to death by suspected miscreants who have long plagued the area.Abo’ore, a local resident, was fatally wounded while volunteering alongside community vigilantes to apprehend a group of young men allegedly involved in illicit activities. According to a statement issued on Monday by the Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, the incident occurred at approximately 10:45 PM on 20 April 2025.

The report detailed that a vigilante leader in the Fadikpe area had earlier raised an alert after observing a number of youths openly smoking cannabis in the Rafi section of the community. In response, a team of vigilantes mobilised to confront the suspects while waiting for police backup.During the operation, Abo’ore, who was on duty as a driver for GTB, chose to support the vigilantes in their efforts to apprehend the group.



However, events took a tragic turn when one of the suspects, identified as Nura Buhari, attacked him with a pair of scissors and then fled the scene.Despite the community’s swift attempts to rush Abo’ore to the General Hospital in Minna, he was declared dead on arrival. “The victim was stabbed during an attempt to arrest one of the suspects, and despite immediate intervention, he was pronounced dead at the hospital,” Abiodun confirmed.

One suspect, Abdullahi Rabiu, was arrested at the scene and is currently in police custody. He is assisting investigators in locating the remaining individuals involved in the attack.“The police are working tirelessly to apprehend all those connected to this horrific crime,” Abiodun assured.

The incident has once again brought to the fore growing anxieties among residents over the spike in criminal activity within Minna and its environs. In recent months, the city has witnessed a surge in street-level offences ranging from armed robbery and phone snatching to burglary, particularly in neighbourhoods deemed high-risk.Though police operations have led to several arrests, many locals believe the problem is compounded by underlying socio-economic challenges, including widespread unemployment and rising poverty.

Authorities have promised swift and decisive action in response to Abo’ore’s murder. The police have vowed to bring all those involved to justice, with formal charges expected as the investigation progresses.The community has been left in mourning, with tributes pouring in for Abo’ore, who is being remembered as a committed and courageous individual who gave his life in service to others.

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