Police arrest fake EFCC operatives for abducting students in Niger 

Niger State Police Command have arrested three men for impersonating the operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and abducting students in Lapai.

Police Public Relations Officer SP Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the arrest in a statement released on Thursday, May 15, 2025.

The suspects are Emmanuel Linus, 30; Hyelda Aliyu, 28; and Abduljallid Tanko, 33—all residents of Abuja.

Police tracked their Toyota Corolla, plate number ABJ 245 CU, and intercepted it on Suleja Road, near Kwakuti.

The arrest happened on May 13, 2025, following reports of abduction and extortion by fake EFCC officials.

The suspects used fake EFCC ID cards with the same number—1069—allegedly printed at a shop in Nyanya.

They entered a student’s room, pretending to be armed with electric tasers disguised as guns.

They stole five mobile phones and abducted two students during the operation.

The suspects then demanded a ransom of N10 million from the victims’ families.

They later reduced the demand to N500,000 before police intervened and arrested them.

During interrogation, the suspects confessed to their crimes and revealed they acted on insider information.

Two informants, Mohammed Hassan and Hamisu Adamu, also from Lapai, were identified as collaborators in the scheme.

Police arrested the informants, who had tipped off the gang about the targeted students.

Emmanuel Linus, the group’s ringleader, is a dismissed soldier with a known criminal history.

He had previously served time and was released just two years ago, police confirmed.

The suspects admitted they had planned the fake EFCC raid with full knowledge of the students’ backgrounds.

They used the EFCC identity to intimidate victims and carry out the abduction without resistance.

The incident caused panic among students and residents in Lapai, who initially believed the operation was legitimate.

Police say all five suspects are now in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).

They will face prosecution once investigations are complete, SP Abiodun added.

The police urged the public to verify identities of law enforcement agents before cooperating with any operation.

Authorities promised to intensify efforts to crack down on criminal impersonation in the region.

This incident highlights rising concerns about fake security agents and their use in criminal operations across Nigeria.

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