Niger Police Capture Trio Posing as EFCC Operatives in Student Abduction Case

Niger Police arrest three suspects for posing as EFCC operatives, abducting and robbing university students. Informants arrested too. Investigations ongoing as police prepare for prosecution.

The Niger Police Command has apprehended three individuals posing as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alarming case of robbery and abduction involving university students. According to a statement from the Command’s spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, two informants were also arrested as part of the operation, which raised significant concerns about the safety of students in the area.

The police received a tip-off around 8:00 PM on May 13 that four suspects had invaded the off-campus lodge of students at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, abducting two students. The suspects reportedly claimed to be EFCC officials to execute their criminal deeds. They subsequently drove the victims away in a Toyota Corolla with the registration number ABJ 245 CU.

Rapid action by police units attached to the Lapai Division led to the swift tracking and apprehension of the suspects on Suleja Road, near Kwakuti. The arrested individuals were identified as Emmanuel Linus, 30, from Deidei; Hyelda Aliyu, 28, from Nyanya; and Abduljallid Tanko, 33, from Karu, all of whom are residents of Abuja. One accomplice named Alfa James managed to evade capture and is still at large.

During their interrogation, the suspects disclosed that they had been lured to the area by their informants and were dependent on such acts for financial survival. Armed with electric tasers that they brandished as firearms, they invaded a student’s room, stealing five mobile phones and abducting the two students. They initially demanded a ransom of N10 million, which they later negotiated down to N500,000 before the police intervened.

Interestingly, the suspects manufactured counterfeit identification cards in a shop located in Nyanya, Abuja, featuring an identical ID number, 1069. This revelation raises questions about the network that could support such operations. The informants, identified as Mohammed Hassan and Hamisu Adamu, are said to have caused Emmanuel Linus to target the students, having previous relationships rooted in Paiko.

It is worth noting that Emmanuel Linus has a troubling background, as he is a dismissed soldier with prior criminal offenses, having been convicted two years ago. The Niger Police declared that investigations are ongoing and that the suspects will face prosecution in court upon completion of these inquiries, underscoring their commitment to addressing crime in the region.

In summary, the rapid response by the Niger Police led to the arrest of three individuals engaged in impersonating EFCC operatives while abducting and robbing university students. The involvement of informants highlights a concerning layer of criminal collaboration. Investigations continue, as the police prepare to prosecute the suspects who have troubling backgrounds and a network possibly facilitating such crimes.

Original Source: punchng.com