18-Year-Old panel beater allegedly kills former Nigerian permanent secretary

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

Abdulhakeem is accused of stabbing Jagaba in the head before fleeing with his car.

Jagaba, who had retired from the State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and operated a block moulding business at the Eastern Bye-Pass in Minna, was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

According to Punch Online, an eyewitness, Nuhu Abubakar, said there was no argument between the victim and Abdulhakeem before the attack. “The incident occurred on Saturday. The panel beater came to the Jagaba industry to fix the car. There was no argument. The next thing we saw was the panel beater getting into the car and driving away, while the permanent secretary lay in a pool of blood, writhing in pain,” Abubakar said.

Niger State Police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the details, noting that the suspect was arrested along with the stolen vehicle. “On December 7, 2024, at around 3 pm, a report of culpable homicide was made at Tudun-Wada Division. The report stated that at approximately 11:30 am, an unknown individual attacked and stabbed Adamu Jagaba at his block industry along Eastern Bye-Pass, Minna, and drove off with his vehicle. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but was later confirmed dead,” Abiodun said.

Abiodun added that during questioning, the suspect admitted to the crime, explaining that he conspired with some of Jagaba’s workers to carry out the attack. “The suspect confessed that he had worked as the victim’s car painter and visited the block industry to discuss repairing the car’s bumper. He deliberately stabbed the victim multiple times in the head and neck, struck him with a stapler, and then took the vehicle, a Toyota Camry with registration number MNA 61 AE,” Abiodun revealed.

The suspect further implicated other gang members involved in the crime, and police efforts are underway to apprehend them. Abdulhakeem will be charged to court once the investigation is concluded.