The Niger State Police Command has arrested three suspects who impersonated operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and allegedly abducted and robbed students of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) University, Lapai.
According to a statement by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, two additional suspects who acted as informants and aided the crime were also taken into custody.
Abiodun said the police received a report around 8:00 p.m. on May 13, indicating that four men had stormed a student lodge located off campus. Posing as EFCC officials, they allegedly abducted two students under false pretenses.
The suspects are currently in custody, and investigations are ongoing.
He said the suspects whisked the students away in a Toyota Corolla car with Reg. No. ABJ 245 CU.
Abiodun explained that the Police operatives attached to Lapai Division immediately mobilised and trailed the vehicle to Suleja Road, by Kwakuti, where the suspects were arrested.
He gave the names of the suspects as Emmanuel Linus, 30, of Deidei, Hyelda Aliyu, 28, of Nyanya, and Abduljallid Tanko, 33, of Karu, all from Abuja.
“The suspects were arrested with the said vehicle, but unfortunately one Alfa James among the suspects escaped from the scene.
“During interrogation, they confessed that they were invited by their informants, as this is their means of livelihood.
“They entered one of the students room with three electric tasers held as guns, collected five phones and abducted two persons,” Abiodun explained.
According him, the suspects had requested for the sum of N10 million from the students and later negotiated to N500,000 before they were arrested.
“They confessed further that the I.D cards used were designed at a shop in Nyanya, Abuja bearing same identification number 1069,” he said.
The spokesperson also gave the names of their informant collaborators as Mohammed Hassan and Hamisu Adamu, both of Angwan-Hausa in Lapai.
He explained that the informants gave one of the suspects, Emmanuel Linus, information about the students, having known each other in Paiko,
Abiodun said that Emmanuel had been identified as a dismissed soldier with criminal records and had been convicted two years ago.
He said that further investigation was ongoing at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), saying that they would be charged to court for prosecution immediately after the investigation.
