Police Arrest Fake EFCC Operatives Linked to Kidnapping and Extortion in Niger State
Niger State Police arrested three suspects impersonating EFCC operatives for kidnapping and extorting students in Lapai. Two informants were also detained. Additionally, two men were apprehended in Kontagora for drug trafficking, displaying the police’s ongoing efforts to address local crime.
In a recent operation, the Niger State Police Command apprehended three suspects posing as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). These individuals were reportedly involved in kidnapping and extorting students in Lapai, a town known for its educational institutions. The police also arrested two accomplices who assisted in their criminal endeavors, marking a significant development in local law enforcement efforts.
According to an official press release from the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the arrests took place on May 13, 2025. The perpetrators, masquerading as law enforcement officers, stormed a students’ lodge around 8:00 p.m. They allegedly abducted two students and forcibly placed them into a Toyota Corolla bearing the license plate ABJ 245 CU. Notably, one suspect, identified as Alfa James, managed to flee and remains at large.
During police interrogation, the suspected kidnappers claimed that they had been lured by two local informants to carry out the operation. Disturbingly, they admitted they were armed, brandishing electric tasers disguised as guns. Reports indicate that the group not only abducted the students but also stole five mobile phones before attempting to negotiate a ransom of ten million naira, which they later reduced to five hundred thousand naira before their capture.
Authorities revealed that the fake EFCC identity cards used by the suspects were manufactured at a shop in Nyanya, Abuja, all sharing the same fraudulent identification number, “1069.” Alongside the three suspects, informants Mohammed Hassan and Hamisu Adamu, both from Angwan-Hausa in Lapai, were arrested. The two reportedly supplied information about potential victims to Emmanuel Linus, a known former soldier and inmate who was released two years prior.
The police have confirmed that the suspects are undergoing further investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). Upon completing the investigation, authorities plan to bring the suspects to court to face the charges against them.
In another unrelated incident, police in Kontagora detained two individuals suspected of drug trafficking. Jimoh Adamu, 26, and Usman Abubakar, also 26, were captured on May 12, 2025, around 10:00 p.m. while on a Bajaj motorcycle. They were reportedly stopped along the Babban-Rami/Rafin-Gora road, where an extensive search uncovered a total of 327 wraps of cannabis, 38 packs of Emzol tablets, four sachets of tramadol, and cash amounting to ₦291,200.
In confession, Jimoh Adamu acknowledged his role as a drug dealer, while Usman Abubakar admitted to providing assistance in his illegal activities. The police have stated that both suspects will be transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.
The Niger State Police Command has successfully apprehended a group of individuals posing as EFCC operatives involved in criminal activities targeting students. In a separate case, two suspects were arrested for drug-related offenses, showcasing the police’s continued efforts to combat crime in the area. Investigations into both cases are ongoing, with plans for prosecution apparent as authorities work to ensure community safety.
Original Source: tribuneonlineng.com
