Police arrest nine persons for robbery, drug trafficking

Nine persons accused of robbery and drug trafficking were on Monday paraded by the Borno state police Command.

Briefing newsmen on the development, the Command’s spokesman, SP Edet Okon, said two of the suspects, Akachukwu Emmanuel and Isa Goni, were arrested for attacking a PoS operator around Circular Road in Maiduguri and carting away N2.1 million.

Okon said one black golf saloon vehicle with registration number ASU 230 MU, two PoS machines and other accessories were also recovered from the suspects.

In a separate operation, Okon said the police also arrested five members of a criminal syndicate that specialised in trailing and stealing from bank customers.

He said: “Between 15/5/2021 and 28/5/2021, operatives of the command, in an intelligence-driven operation, arrested Mallam Hamisu, Umar Samalia alias Dan Babur, Habibu Garba alias Senator, Ali Yahaya and Mari Paul; all suspects who specialized in trailing unsuspecting citizens, especially those just coming out from banks – break into their cars and steal monies kept therein.

“The suspects were trailed and arrested by a crack team of operatives at different cities, namely: Maiduguri, Jos, Kano and Jalingo, in Taraba State.

“On interrogation, the suspects confessed to stealing N23 million from a vehicle parked inside Musa Usman Secretariat and another N2.5 Million from a vehicle belonging to one Aliyu Ali at a mosque in Maiduguri.

“They equally confessed to carrying out similar dastardly acts in Kano, Abuja, Sokoto, Zamfara, Jigawa, Jos, Yola, Damaturu and Jalingo.”

Okon said exhibits recovered from the suspects included five assorted motor vehicles, six fabricated duplicate car keys, corrosive substances used in breaking vehicle glasses/windscreen and the sum of N14 million.

The police spokesman also said that two suspected drug traffickers, Mallam Mati and Abba Ibrahim, were arrested following a tip-off and dried leaves suspected to be Cannabis Sativa, weighing 1005kg and with a market value of N3.5 million, were recovered from them

He said when the ongoing investigations are complete, the suspects would be charged to court.