By: Ganiyu Olayinka
The Nigeria Police Force says it has arrested suspects in four separate operations covering alleged armed robbery, kidnapping and a ₦75 million counterfeit gold fraud. Officers also recovered an AK-47 rifle, 20 rounds of live ammunition, stolen phones and suspected fake gold.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Godfrey Victor, commander of the Force Intelligence Department’s Special Tactical Squad (FID-STS), announced the arrests at a press briefing at the Force Headquarters in Guzape, Abuja, on Wednesday. He said the operations were part of intelligence-led efforts to dismantle criminal networks.
Lagos-Ibadan Expressway robbery
Four suspects were arrested over an alleged armed robbery gang that targeted vehicles carrying mobile phones and other valuables on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. They are Delight Monday, 37; Deborah Saviour Okon, 21; Dambala Umar, 40; and Sanusi Yanusa, 30.
Victor said preliminary investigations suggested the gang used motorcycles to spot vulnerable vehicles, especially those that had broken down, before attacking the occupants. The suspects reportedly confessed to robbing a bus carrying phones, and police recovered four Tecno Spark 10 handsets. Police also alleged that they altered the IMEI numbers of stolen phones to avoid being tracked.
Kaduna kidnapping
Four other suspects were arrested over the alleged abduction of Saran Friday, 45, from her home in Zankau Zarki, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on August 3, 2026. Police said she was taken with another person, Emeka Uche, and held for six days before being freed after a ₦3.5 million ransom was paid.
The suspects allegedly also stole recharge cards worth ₦300,000, two vehicle inner tubes and the victim’s Samsung A17 phone, which investigators later recovered. The suspects are Abubakar Salihu, 29; Raymond Ibrahim, 22; Useni Saleh, 23; and Haruna Yahaya, 19.
Nasarawa suspect
Police also announced the arrest on September 20 of Mohammed Yusuf, 25, popularly known as “Memeh”. Victor said he is being investigated over alleged kidnapping and other serious crimes in Nasarawa State and nearby areas. Police said he was suspected of links to kidnapping, terrorism, banditry, armed robbery, money laundering and cattle rustling, and that he had been declared wanted.
Information the suspect provided, according to Victor, led officers to an AK-47 rifle and 20 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
Fake gold fraud in Adamawa
Three suspects were arrested in Jambutu, Yola, Adamawa State, on September 14 over an alleged scheme to sell counterfeit gold. They are Bashiru Aliyu, 31; Sani Surajuo, 25; and Mohammed Auwul. The arrests followed a complaint by Onu Emmanuel Okwudili, chief executive of Emmaco Minerals Company in Jos, Plateau State, who alleged he was defrauded of ₦75 million on May 15 when fake gold was presented to him as genuine.
Victor said preliminary investigations suggested the suspects claimed links to criminal syndicates operating in Nigeria and other West African countries, and used chemicals to make the counterfeit gold look authentic. Police also said Auwul had a police identity card bearing the rank of Superintendent, which raised suspicion of impersonation.
Exhibits recovered include 25 kilogrammes of suspected gold-plated material in 17 units, a further 10 kilogrammes of smaller suspected counterfeit pieces, two cards of suspected tramadol, three counterfeit $100 notes and the identity card.
Police appeal
Victor credited the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, the FID-STS operatives, other security agencies and the public for the arrests. He said the unit would keep up its operations nationwide, and urged the public to report suspicious people and activity to the nearest police station or other security agency.
The police said the allegations remain under investigation and subject to judicial determination.
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