The Niger State Police Command has apprehended three suspected fraudsters who allegedly posed as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to kidnap and extort students in Lapai, headquarters of Lapai Local Government Area.
The suspects—Emmanuel Linus, 30; Hyelda Aliyu, 28; and Abduljallid Tanko, 33—all residents of Abuja, were arrested on May 13, 2025, along Suleja Road by Kwakuti, hours after they allegedly stormed a student lodge in Lapai and abducted two students.
A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, and made available to journalists on Thursday, revealed that the suspects used a Toyota Corolla with registration number ABJ 245 CU and were armed with three electric tasers disguised as firearms.
According to the statement, the suspects gained access to one of the victims’ rooms, brandishing the tasers as weapons, and carted away five mobile phones before abducting two students.
The gang allegedly demanded a ransom of N10 million, later reducing it to N500,000 before their arrest.
“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to being invited by informants based in Lapai and admitted that the operation was their means of livelihood.
They also revealed that their fake EFCC ID cards were produced in a business centre in Nyanya, Abuja,” the statement read.
Further investigation led to the arrest of the alleged informants, Mohammed Hassan and Hamisu Adamu, both residents of Angwan-Hausa in Lapai.
The duo reportedly provided information on the students targeted by the syndicate.
The police also disclosed that one of the suspects, Emmanuel Linus, is a dismissed soldier with a history of criminal activities. He reportedly connected with one of the informants in Paiko, a nearby community.
Meanwhile, another member of the gang, identified as Alfa James, is currently on the run and efforts are ongoing to apprehend him.
All five suspects are in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna, and will be arraigned in court upon conclusion of the investigation.
The police urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to security agencies.
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