The operatives of the Kano State Police Command have arrested a syndicate of two people for impersonating soldiers and extorting money from business individuals in the Sabon Gari area of the state.

Miracle Mnamoko and Chidera Anuna where earlier reported to have been parading themselves as soldiers and intimidating residents to obtain money and other valuables.

The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Kiyawa, disclosed this in a statement made available to The Star in on Wednesday.

The police spokesperson said Mnamoko was charged to court while his accomplice would follow suit having arrested at different times.

“Between 01/03/2022 and 30/03/2022, reports were received that a syndicate of two used to parade themselves as soldiers, robbed and extort money and other valuables from individuals at night hours within the Sabon Gari Area of Kano State.

“Furthermore, 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 Miracle Nnamoko’s bank account and the sum of N35,000:00 into an account bearing Chidera Anuna.

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“They also made away with his iPhone 12 Pro Max Mobile phone valued at Seven Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira (N780,000:00) and also retrieved the password of the mobile phone from him,” Kiyawa said.

According to Kiyawa, Nnamko was arrested and arraigned before a court “on 08/04/2022, Miracle Nnamoko, ‘m’, of Belatus Road, Sabon Gari Quarters Kano was arrested. He confessed to the crime and mentioned Chidera Anune, ‘m’, that owned the camouflage as his accomplice. He was investigated and charged to Magistrate Court Number 64 Ungogo for prosection.”

He said although the accomplice was arrested by the personnel of the Nigeria Air Force with certain valuables, he was handed over to the police for investigation and prosecution.

“On 31/05/2022, Chidera Anuna, ‘m’, was arrested by the personnel from 455 Base Services Group, Nigerian Air Force Kano, dressed in suspected Military camouflage at Sabon Gari Quarters Kano and handed over to Kano State Police Command.

“On investigation, Chidera was found in possession of two iPhones Mobile Handsets and an Infinix Mobile Phone suspected to be robbed. He also confessed to the crime and confessed that he is neither a military officer nor any security personnel. The suspect will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.”

The police therefore assured residents that criminals would continue to be trailed through out the state as Operation Puff Adder remains committed to ending criminal activities in the state.

The Star