The Niger State Police Command has apprehended a criminal syndicate that posed as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and abducted two students from their residence near Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida University, Lapai.
The abduction, which took place on the night of May 13, 2025, saw the suspects storm the off-campus student lodge and forcefully whisk the victims away in a Toyota Corolla with registration number ABJ 245 CU.
The gang, armed with tasers disguised as guns, also stole five mobile phones during the operation.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said that officers from the Lapai Division launched a prompt response and engaged the suspects in a high-speed chase along Suleja Road near Kwakuti.
The pursuit led to the arrest of three gang members: Emmanuel Linus (30), Hyelda Aliyu (28), and Abduljalid Tanko (33). A fourth suspect, identified as Alfa James, managed to escape and is currently at large.
Further investigation revealed that the kidnapping was a scheme for extortion.
According to the police, the suspects initially demanded N10 million in ransom from the students’ families, before reducing the amount to N500,000.
Abiodun stated that the suspects used forged EFCC identification cards, all bearing the same serial number, 1069.
The fake IDs were reportedly printed at a shop located in Nyanya, Abuja.
In a shocking development, police disclosed that one of the suspects, Emmanuel Linus, is a dismissed soldier who had previously served a prison term for a crime committed two years ago.
Additionally, two local collaborators, Mohammed Hassan and Hamisu Adamu, both residents of Lapai, were arrested for their role in the plot.
All five suspects are currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
Police say they will face prosecution once investigations are concluded.
