A former soldier has been arrested in Niger State for allegedly impersonating military personnel and defrauding multiple victims at various Point of Sale (POS) outlets across the state.

The Niger State Police Command disclosed that the suspect, identified as Michael Musa of Mandela Road, Minna, was taken into custody following reports of fraudulent withdrawals at POS terminals.

According to the police, Musa, who was dismissed from the Nigerian Army in 2022 in Benin, Edo State, had been disguising as a serving soldier to defraud unsuspecting victims.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, in a statement issued Tuesday, said the first report was filed on May 27, 2025, following a referral from a magistrate court to the Tudun-Wada Police Division. Three victims reported that on May 12, Musa had approached a POS shop near Musa Bello Primary School in Bida, fraudulently collected ₦120,000, and absconded.

Further incidents were reported on May 23 in Kataeregi, where he allegedly obtained ₦300,000, and on May 29 on Mandela Road, Minna, where another ₦50,000 was taken. All three cases involved the suspect wearing military camouflage.

“With the aid of technical intelligence, detectives arrested the suspect, who was in military attire at the time of arrest. During interrogation, he confessed to the crimes and claimed he was dismissed from the military in 2022,” the police statement said.

The police added that the case is still under investigation, and more victims have since come forward with similar complaints.

In a separate case, the police also reported the arrest of two suspects in Suleja for threatening to kidnap a resident if he failed to pay ₦30 million. The suspects, identified as Ibrahim Sheriff, 18, of Kuki village, Katsina State, and Hamisu Dalhatu, 25, of Furakirke, Sokoto State, were arrested on May 26 after allegedly conspiring to extort Samaila, a local resident, via phone threats.

“The suspects were tracked and arrested through technical intelligence. A mobile phone and the SIM card used in making the threat were recovered,” SP Abiodun said.

The police command reaffirmed its commitment to combating criminal activity across the state and urged residents to continue providing timely information to support security efforts.