The Nigeria Police Force has arrested four suspected fraudsters allegedly involved in a criminal syndicate that specializes in framing unsuspecting buyers of stolen vehicles and extorting them.
According to a crime bulletin issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the suspects were arrested on May 12, 2026, following credible intelligence that they were attempting to move a suspected stolen Volkswagen Golf vehicle along Kaduna Road in Suleja to meet a prospective buyer.
The suspects identified as Badamasi Saidu, 30, of Sabon-Wuse; Adamu Musa, 31, of Kaduna Road; Yunusa Mohammed, 47, of Nasarawa; and Mohammed Usman, 35, of Gwagwalada, were intercepted by operatives attached to Maje Division at about 11pm.
Police said the suspects had removed the vehicle’s number plate to disguise it as a newly acquired car. However, during a search, the original registration number, MNA 839 AH, was recovered.
During interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed to operating a syndicate that deceives intending buyers by selling suspected stolen vehicles and later accusing the buyers of receiving stolen property in order to intimidate and extort them.
The police further recovered another Volkswagen vehicle with registration number RSH 24 FD, a Point of Sale (POS) machine allegedly used for financial transactions, and a fake Police Mess identity card belonging to one of the suspects.
The Command said investigations were ongoing to arrest other members of the syndicate.
In a separate operation on May 14, joint security operatives reportedly foiled a banditry and cattle rustling attack along Mangoro-Idu village in Munya Local Government Area.
Police disclosed that operatives engaged the suspected rustlers in a gun duel, forcing them to abandon 67 rustled animals comprising 43 cows and 24 sheep.
The recovered livestock were later handed over to their rightful owners in collaboration with the local government authority.
Similarly, operatives attached to Maikunkele Division recovered another stray cow on May 13 along Rafin-Yashin area after two suspected thieves fled on sighting a police patrol team.
The Command also confirmed the arrest of 20 suspected miscreants linked to youth restiveness and public disturbances in Minna.
The suspects were reportedly arrested following clashes involving students of two secondary schools along Bosso Road on May 11, which caused panic and disrupted public movement.
Police said follow-up operations conducted between May 13 and 14 led to the arrest of the suspects at different locations within the town.
In another incident on May 17, police operatives on patrol along Gwari Market encountered a suspected thug carrying a bag believed to contain cannabis. The suspect reportedly fled into an uncompleted building at Abdulsalam Quarters, where hoodlums allegedly attacked the police team with dangerous weapons.
According to the police, one of the hoodlums attempted to attack an officer with an axe and was subsequently shot in the leg and subdued. The suspect was taken to a hospital for treatment, while the axe and suspected cannabis were recovered.
