Two fake policemen arrested in Niger, arms recovered

Two fakers have been arrested by the Niger State Police Command for impersonating the Nigerian Police, for theft, unlawful possession of firearms, as well as arms dealing.

The suspects include Sabiu Hassan, 26, of El-waziri area of Bosso, and Ibrahim Ahore of Beji, Bosso LG of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Waisiu Abiodun, who stated this in Minna on Monday, said the arrest was a continuation of the Command’s effort to fight crime and criminality in Niger State.

Abiodun stated that the arrest was a continuation of the Command’s effort to fight crime and criminality in the state.

According to Wasiu, “at about 1600hours on March 28, 2024, a direct complaint was received at Bosso Division from a victim in Hayin-Gwari area that two persons who were dressed in police and vigilante T-shirts intercepted him as a motorcyclist at Hayin-Gwari on March 25, 2024, at about 1930hrs on his Bajaj motorcycle with Reg. No. MNA 121 CV valued at about N70,000, without any justification.

“The victim was instructed by the suspects to produce the particulars of the motorcycle, while he rushed home for the documents. On his return, he discovered that the two men had disappeared to an unknown location with his motorcycle.”

Wasiu further disclosed that during investigation, the motorcycle was later found in the residence of Sabiu Hassan, and on further search, one locally-made pistol was also recovered from him.

During interrogation, Sabiu confessed that he stole the motorcycle, as he intentionally refused to take the motorcycle to the police division with the intent to dispose of it. He mentioned his accomplice as one Kabiru, a fellow vigilante member of Bosso presently at large.

Sabiu however led the police team to a local fabricator named; Ibrahim Ahore at Beji, who confessed that he has been a manufacturer of locally made guns and that his son Abdullahi Ibrahim sold the pistol to Sabiu.

Items recovered include: two locally-made double-barrel guns, one double-barrel dane gun, six single-barrel dane guns, two iron rods for making guns.

The PPRO added that efforts are ongoing to apprehend Kanitu and Abdullahi, while Sabiu and Ahore have been transferred to the SCID and charged to court.