Five notorious suspects have been arrested by operatives of Nigeria Police for impersonating as journalists.
The suspects have been using fake Identity Cards to gain access into public and private events thus, robbing high profile personalities of money and valuables such as expensive handsets.
According to Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Jimoh Moshood, the suspects are one Musa Auwalu, 43, from Kano State, who is the gang leader; Kolawole Akinbode, 50, from Ogun Central LGA of Ogun State, Umar Tahir Abba, 53, from Mubi in Adamawa state, Abdullahi Muhammed, 55, from Gudunfulani, Bauchi state and Muhammad Sale, 60, from Ngogo, Kano state.
He said items recovered from the suspects include: 13 Expensive Phones, Fake Journalist ID Cards from non-existing media organizations.
“The gang leader has built a house in Kano from the huge foreign currencies he stole during a wedding of a Very Important Personality last year in Abuja. The Inspector-General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team, led by ACP Abba Kyari trailed and arrested the above mentioned suspects after complaints of stolen phones from important personalities who attended a prominent wedding in Abeokuta, Ogun State on the 8th July, 2017.
“They were arrested in different states of the Federation namely: Ogun, Edo, Abuja and Kano States. The exhibits listed above were recovered from them. The House built in Kano State from the huge foreign currencies the gang leader stole during a wedding of a Very Important Personality (VIP) last year in Abuja has been identified.
“The suspects confessed to the crime and admitted to the various criminal roles they played in the commission of the offence.
“The suspects confessed further that they specialize in impersonating as Journalists in order to gain access into venues of VIPs events/occasions to steal Handsets, Money and defraud high profile persons and unsuspecting members of the public at the venues of events in major cities in the country.
“Investigation is being intensified to arrest other suspects at large. All suspects will be arraigned in court on completion of investigation,” Force spokesperson said.
