Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Operatives of the Yobe State Police Command have smashed a five-man syndicate linked to fake bank transfers and suspected counterfeit foreign currencies, arresting the suspects in a major operation that also led to the recovery of ritual items and fake banknotes. This was disclosed on Sunday, July 19, 2026, in a press release signed by the Command's Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, according to multiple reports.
The breakthrough came after officers from the Potiskum Divisional Police Headquarters acted on a distress report from a victim who alleged that on July 18, 2026, five men defrauded him of 10 bags of fertiliser valued at N488,000 through a fake bank transfer alert. Police said the suspects were arrested before they could dispose of the goods. Those arrested have been identified as Mohammad Ibrahim of Don Etiebet Estate, Damaturu; Abdullahi Aliyu of Kofar Ruwa, Kano State; Muhammad Mukhtar of Commissioners' Quarters, Damaturu; Mohammad Bashir; and Alhaji Ahmad Mohammad, both of Obasanjo Estate, Damaturu.
A search warrant executed at the suspects' hotel room in Damaturu led to the recovery of 10 suspected counterfeit US $100 notes, 56 pieces of 50,000 Somali Shilling notes also suspected to be fake, one calabash, a black-and-white cloth, bottles of perfume, and various suspected charms and ritual items, according to the police statement. The command said an investigation was ongoing to determine the source of the fake currencies and whether the syndicate was involved in their production and circulation. The suspects were currently assisting the police with information.
In separate incidents, the police command also announced the arrest of two men over the alleged rape of minors. On July 18, 2026, at about 2 p.m., operatives of Garin Alkali Division in Bursari Local Government Area arrested Habu Haruna, 24, of Rainikunu Garu Dole Village for allegedly luring and raping a seven-year-old girl in a nearby bush. The victim was rushed to a medical facility for treatment and psychosocial support. Similarly, on July 19, 2026, at about 4 p.m., detectives at Bara Divisional Police Headquarters arrested Mohammed Yau, 65, of Kojole Village for allegedly raping an eight-year-old girl inside an uncompleted building. Both the victim and suspect have been taken to hospital for forensic and clinical examination.
The Commissioner of Police, Yobe State Command, Usman Kanfani Jibrin, condemned the rape incidents, describing them as "cruel, inhumane and unacceptable." He directed that investigations be concluded without delay and assured that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted.
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