A man who was said to be supplying foods and drinks to bandits in the forest has told policemen of the Niger State Police Command that the bandits used to come to his hideout to collect the items late in the night, the command announced on Friday, March 25.

He also disclosed that he bought a locally-made revolver gun found during a search on his home for the sum of N65,000 from a fabricator in his area of residence, adding that he used the gun for his protection.

These were the confession of the man, whose name was given as Umar Dauda, and who claimed to be 20 years old and living at Fulani camp, Kapako village via Lapai in Niger State, after he was arrested by police operatives attached to Lapai Division and vigilante members following intelligence reports received by the operatives.

It was gathered that after receiving the intelligence reports, the police operatives and vigilante members mobilised to the village and after hours of monitoring and observation, arrested the man with some foods, drinks and substance suspected to be Indian hemp.

According to a statement by the state police command through its Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, on the Facebook wall of the command on Friday, at the point of his arrest, items recovered from him included some loaves of bread, bottles of a brand of energy drink and cans of a popular malt drink.

Others were cans of a brand of milk, some quantities of raw rice and beans, four wraps of substance suspected to be Indian hemp, and the sum of N90,000.

During his interrogation, he was said to have confessed to being a food supplier to bandits and that they usually visit his home to collect the items late in the night. He further said that it was the fourth time he supplied the items before his arrest.

It was also gathered that after his arrest, he led policemen to where he lives and during a search of the house, a locally-made revolver gun was found. He admitted owning the gun and said that he bought it for the sum of N65,000 from a fabricator within the same village for his personal protection.

The statement said he is currently giving more useful statements to the police while the police said efforts were on to arrest the fleeing gun fabricator, whose name he was said to have told the policemen.

He is also expected to be prosecuted at the conclusion of the investigation.