Kano police arrest two fake military personnel for extortion

Nemesis, yesterday, caught up with two suspected criminals, who specialised in impersonating the military in Sabon gari area of Kano metropolis.

The suspects ‘Miracle Nnamoko, ‘m’ and ‘Chidera Anuna’ were arrested in military uniforms after extorting money and valuable items from unsuspected residents in the area.

Parading the fake personnel, at the Bompai Police headquarters in Kano, spokesperson for the Command, Superintendent of Police (SP), Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said one of the suspects was arrested after surveillance.

Kiyawa said the second suspect was arrested by Nigerian Airforce officers, while attempting to extort unsuspected persons in Sabin Gari in military camouflage. He said the suspect has been handed over to the police.

According to him, one of the culprits,  Nnamoko had sometime in the year, invaded a trader’s shop at the popular Kofar-Ruwa market,  where he threatened the occupant and forced him to transfer N55,000 to two separate accounts.

Kiyawa added that Miracle also forced his victim to surrender an iPhone 12 Pro Max Mobile phone valued at N780,000:00. He said:  “Between 01/03/2022 and 30/03/2022, reports were received that the syndicate used to parade themselves as soldiers, robbed and extorted money and other valuables from individuals at night within the Sabon Gari Area of Kano State.”

“On the 30/03/2022, one Joseph Ifeanyi Usalo, ‘m’ of Kofar Ruwa Market, Kano, complained that the same syndicate, including one Miracle Nnamoko, ‘m’, with one other dressed in military camouflage, went to his shop located at Kofar Ruwa Market, intimidated and forced him to transfer the sum of N20,000:00 into Nnamoko’s bank account and the sum of N35,000:00 into an account bearing Chidera Anuna.

“They also made away with his iPhone 12 Pro Max Mobile phone valued at N780,000:00 and also retrieved the password of the mobile phone from him”.

Kiyawa further added that, “On receipt of the reports, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, raised and instructed a team of Operation Puff Adder led by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Alhaji Ado Salisu. to carry out continuous intelligence surveillance operations in the area.

“On 08/04/2022, Nnamoko, ‘m’, of Belatus Road, Sabon Gari Quarters Kano was arrested. The suspect confessed to the crime and mentioned Chidera Anune, ‘m’, that owned the camouflage as his accomplice.

Consequently, upon the arrest of Nnamoko, the accomplice, Chidera Anuna, ‘m’, fell in the hands of military personnel from 455 Base Services Group, Nigerian Air Force Kano, when he dressed in suspected military camouflage at Sabon Gari Quarters Kano and has since been handed over to Kano State Police Command.    On investigation, Chidera was found in possession of two iPhone mobile handsets and an Infinix mobile phone suspected to be robbed.

Kiyawa said the suspect, who had confessed to the crime, said he’s neither a military officer nor any security personnel. He said the suspects will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.

MEANWHILE, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, Sama’ila Shu’aibu, Dikko, has warned that criminals will have no hiding place in the state.