Police Arrest Five in Niger Over Alleged Plot to Sacrifice Children for Money Rituals

The Niger State Police Command has arrested five men over an alleged money ritual plot in which four of the suspects reportedly offered their biological children as sacrifices in exchange for wealth.

The suspects were arrested during a police operation at an isolated compound in the Garima area of Bosso, Minna, where officers allegedly interrupted a ritual involving slaughtered chickens, blood-stained clothing and other items.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement issued in Minna.

According to the police, the incident occurred on October 27, 2026, at about 8:30pm after operatives attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit received intelligence about suspected ritual activities during a routine patrol around Bosso.

The suspects were identified as Mohammed Idris Dogara, 57, of Nasarawa State but residing in Bosso; Aliyu Sule, 25; Abubakar Abdullahi, 40, both of New Garima; Ibrahim Mohammed Hamisu, 43; and Shehu Abubakar, 40, a native doctor from Maikunkele.

Items reportedly recovered at the scene included blood-stained red and white clothing, four calabashes, two live chickens, three slaughtered chickens, a blood-stained knife and a large mat on which the items were arranged.

The police said preliminary investigations indicated that Ibrahim, Abubakar, Aliyu and Mohammed had approached the native doctor to perform money rituals using a skeleton allegedly discovered during mining activities.

According to the police account, the native doctor initially declined their request, explaining that he did not offer such services.

However, the four men allegedly persisted and offered their biological children as sacrifices in exchange for different sums of money.

The police said the native doctor subsequently instructed each of them to purchase a chicken and meet at a designated location for the ritual.

Operatives reportedly arrested the suspects while the activities were ongoing. Aliyu Sule was allegedly found holding a blood-stained knife and preparing to slaughter his chicken, while three other suspects had already slaughtered theirs.

The command said the suspects had confessed to the allegations and were undergoing further investigation before being charged to court.

However, the police statement did not disclose the identities or ages of the children allegedly offered for the ritual, whether they had been located or whether any of them had been exposed to immediate danger.