Police in Kano State have arrested five men accused of posing as police officers and extorting residents across northern Nigeria, authorities said on Saturday.
The state police spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna, said in a statement that the suspects were arrested during a special operation by the Command’s Special Intervention Squad on Oct. 16 at about 1:00 p.m.
“Operatives, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended the suspects while parading themselves as police officers,” Haruna said.
He identified the suspects as Aliyu Abbas, 35; Sani Iliyasu, 47; Ashiru Sule, 41; Abubakar Yahaya, 45; and Adamu Kalilu, 45.
According to Haruna, items recovered from them included a fake police warrant card, handcuffs, 2,500 CFA francs, mutilated naira notes in various denominations, and their operational vehicle — a blue Peugeot 406 with registration number NSR-188-BD.
“During the investigation, the suspects confessed to using the fake warrant card to extort innocent citizens and commit other crimes in Kano, Katsina, and Kaduna States,” he said.
The police spokesperson added that the suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
In a related incident, the command last month arrested another suspect for impersonating a police officer and extorting the public.
The state police commissioner urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities, reiterating the command’s commitment to upholding law and order.
