Nigeria: Police Arrest Fake EFCC Operatives for Abducting Students in Niger State

“The suspects demanded N10 million from the student’s family, later negotiating to N500,000, before they were arrested,” the police spokesperson said

The police have arrested three persons for allegedly impersonating officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to abduct and extort some students in Lapai, Niger State.

The suspects, Emmanuel Linus, 30, of Deidei, Abuja, Hyelda Aliyu, 28, of Nyanya, Abuja, and Abduljallid Tanko, 33, of Karu, Abuja, were arrested on Tuesday after the police trailed their vehicle, a Toyota Corolla with registration number ABJ 245 CU, to Suleja Road, by Kwakuti.

According to the state police public relations officer, Wasiu Abiodun, the suspects used fake EFCC ID cards bearing the same identification number, 1069, which were allegedly designed at a shop in Nyanya, Abuja.

He said the suspects entered a student’s room with electric tasers held as guns, collected five phones, and abducted two people.

“The suspects demanded N10 million from the student’s family, later negotiating to N500,000, before they were arrested,” the police spokesperson said.

According to Mr Abiodun, the suspects confessed during interrogation that they were invited by two informants, Mohammed Hassan and Hamisu Adamu, of Angwan-Hausa via Lapai, who provided them with information about the students.

Mr Abiodun revealed that the two alleged informants were also arrested.

“The informants gave Emmanuel Linus information about the students, having known each other in Paiko. Emmanuel was identified as a dismissed soldier with criminal records and an ex-convict in the past two years.”

All five suspects, including the two informants, are under further investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna.

By Premium Times.