Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Benue State Police Command has arrested five Pakistani nationals and recovered 35 mobile phones in separate intelligence-led operations conducted in Otukpo and Ugbokolo areas of the state, the command announced on Friday, August 7, 2026. The arrests, carried out on August 4 and 5, 2026, have raised suspicions that the suspects may have been using the phones as a cover for other activities in rural areas.
According to a statement issued by the command's spokesperson, DSP Orchia Peter Aondongu, operatives acting on credible intelligence arrested three Pakistanis—Younas Mohammad, 36; Ahmad Nunil, 38; and Aslam Muhammad, 46—at Adoka Motor Park in Otukpo Local Government Area on August 4, 2026, while they were allegedly attempting to board a vehicle to Adoka village. During preliminary questioning, the suspects claimed they were in Otukpo to market cosmetics and mobile gadgets, but police said none of the items they claimed to be marketing were found in their possession, making their explanation, activities, and movements within the area suspicious.
In a separate operation on August 5, 2026, two other Pakistani nationals, Juma Sharif, 30, and Muhammed Sharif, 25, were arrested at a local hotel in Ugbokolo following credible intelligence. The two suspects claimed to be dealers in Android phones. A search of their belongings led to the recovery of 11 Tecno Camon 50 Pro mobile phones. Further investigation and operational follow-up resulted in the recovery of an additional 23 Tecno Camon 50 Pro phones and one Infinix Hot 60 phone, bringing the total number of recovered mobile phones to 35.
The command said it strongly suspects that the possession of the mobile phones was a decoy for clandestine activities in the rural areas of the state, noting that the suspects hardly speak or understand English. The five suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Makurdi, where discreet and comprehensive investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding their presence, activities, and movements within the state.
The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Cletus Nwadiogbu, reassured members of the public that the operations form part of the command's proactive, intelligence-led policing strategy aimed at identifying potential security threats, preventing criminal activities, and safeguarding lives and property across the state. He commended the officers involved in the operations and members of the public whose timely information contributed to the arrests, and further urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, movements, or activities to the police.
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