Police Capture Suspects Posing as EFCC Operatives in Niger State
Three suspects posing as EFCC operatives were arrested in Niger State for abducting students from a local university. They demanded a ransom of N500,000 after initially asking for N10 million. Police intercepted them swiftly, but one suspect escaped. Investigations revealed forged EFCC IDs were used in the crime.
The Niger State Police Command has successfully apprehended three individuals alleging to be operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). They were involved in a situation where they abducted and attempted to rob students from Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University located in Lapai. The incident occurred on May 13, highlighting a rather bold impersonation crime.
The suspects—Emmanuel Linus, 30, Hyelda Aliyu, 28, and Abduljallid Tanko, 33—all hailing from Abuja, stormed the off-campus accommodation of the students. They pretended to be EFCC officials and were reportedly armed with electric tasers, which they disguised as firearms. They abducted two students and initially demanded a ransom of N10 million, but negotiations led them to settle at N500,000.
In a quick response, police operatives from the Lapai Division acted on intelligence and intercepted the suspects on Suleja Road, near Kwakuti. They were caught with their getaway vehicle, a Toyota Corolla sporting the registration number ABJ 245 CU. However, another individual, identified as Alfa James, managed to escape amidst the operation, leaving the police now hunting for him.
During the interrogation, the suspects revealed that they were in collaboration with two informants named Mohammed Hassan and Hamisu Adamu, both residing in Angwan-Hausa, Lapai. This connection sheds light on how the operation was set into motion.
Further investigations uncovered that the gang had created forged EFCC identification cards, which were printed at a shop in Nyanya, Abuja. Alarmingly, all these forged IDs shared the same fraudulent identification number—1069. This points to a systemic issue within the processes meant to verify actual EFCC officials.
Wasiu Abiodun, the Police Public Relations Officer, disclosed that Emmanuel Linus—even though among those arrested—carries a more complex story as a dismissed soldier with a criminal background that includes a prior conviction from two years ago.
The Niger State Police Command is now appealing to the public, assuring that they continue to work on apprehending the suspect who escaped, while also focusing on dismantling the broader criminal network that facilitated these impersonations.
The arrest of the three suspects poses serious questions regarding the security of students in Niger State and the prevalence of impersonation crimes. As investigations continue, the police are committed to capturing the remaining fugitive and dismantling the broader criminal syndicate involved. This incident serves as a grim reminder of the importance of vigilance and the need for identities verification within law enforcement communications.
Original Source: punchng.com
