Man turns house to police station, arrests, extorts money

The police in Sokoto State have arrested a man who allegedly pretended to be a policeman, turned his house into a mini police station and arrested people to extort money from them. The command’s spokesperson, ASP Cordelia Nwawe, said the suspect, Usman Danmaliki, was arrested alongside others for various crimes. Nwawe said the police had […]

The police in Sokoto State have arrested a man who allegedly pretended to be a policeman, turned his house into a mini police station and arrested people to extort money from them.

The command’s spokesperson, ASP Cordelia Nwawe, said the suspect, Usman Danmaliki, was arrested alongside others for various crimes.

Nwawe said the police had been on his trail since November, 2017, when he arrested three people who he claimed, “bought sheep from one Fulani man which were reasonably suspected to be stolen and demanded the sum of N82,000 from them.”

Nwawe added that, “He also extorted the sum of N5,000 from one Muhammad Abubakar Gwandu of Rima Basin in Sokoto claiming that he knew the person who broke and stole money in his car; including his credentials. Later, he returned the credentials to Gwandu’s house.”

She said the police also arrested one Naziru Mohammed, who is a clearing agent at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto, for allegedly stealing one carton of phones containing 120 pieces of TECNO T528 valued at N8.2m.

Nwawe said operatives attached to the State Intelligence Bureau, while on surveillance at the Hajiya Halima Albarka Modern Market, Sokoto, intercepted and arrested Muhammad of Arkilla Federal Low Cost with some handsets.

She added that when he was interviewed, he confessed to have stolen the handsets.

The PPRO revealed that investigation led to the arrest of four other suspects and that 30 handsets were recovered from the receivers who claimed to have bought the handsets at N4,000 each.

She said all the suspects would be arraigned in court soon.