KADUNA POLICE INTERCEPT COUNTERFEIT DOLLARS, RECOVER STOLEN ₦70M JEEP AND WEAPONS

The Kaduna State Police Command has reported a series of operations that resulted in the recovery of 332 suspected counterfeit $100 notes, 11 firearms and two vehicles believed to have been stolen, as security operatives intensify efforts to tackle criminal activities across the state.

The command said three suspects were arrested in connection with a black GMK Jeep estimated to be worth about ₦70 million. According to the police, the vehicle was allegedly being offered for sale at just ₦4 million after plans had been made to dismantle it and dispose of its components as spare parts.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, disclosed the developments in a statement issued on Thursday on behalf of the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police. He said the operations formed part of sustained efforts to restrict the activities and movement of criminal elements while improving security, particularly for farmers travelling to their farmlands.

One of the operations followed information received by the command on August 31 concerning alleged attacks on farmers around Kidandan in Giwa Local Government Area. Police Mobile Force personnel attached to APV Kaya were subsequently mobilised alongside members of the Kaduna Vigilance Service to confront the suspected bandits operating in the area.

The police said the suspected bandits opened fire after sighting the security team but were eventually forced to retreat into the surrounding bush when the operatives responded. During the escape, they allegedly abandoned a pump-action rifle containing two cartridges and a motorcycle, which were subsequently recovered by the security personnel.

In another operation around the Maraban Jos axis, police operatives reportedly established roadblocks after receiving intelligence about the movement of suspected gunrunners. The command said the security intervention caused some of the suspects to divert their vehicles, while others abandoned their plans and fled into nearby bushes.

Nine locally fabricated firearms were reportedly recovered during that operation. Police said efforts were continuing to locate the suspects who escaped from the area and establish the wider network allegedly connected to the movement of the weapons.

Meanwhile, three men Hashiru Ibrahim, Mohammed Ibrahim and Umar Hassan were arrested at Panteka, Kurmin Mashi, Kaduna, while allegedly attempting to sell the black GMK Jeep. Police said preliminary investigations indicated that Hashiru allegedly stole the vehicle from Abeokuta, Ogun State, where he was employed as a driver by a Chinese company.

The recovered Jeep has been secured by the police as investigations continue. Authorities said they are also working to identify and apprehend other individuals who may have been involved in the alleged vehicle theft and planned dismantling of the car for parts.

In a separate case, police operatives intercepted a white Toyota Hilux in Kaduna after receiving intelligence that the vehicle had allegedly been stolen from Agadez, Niger Republic. The vehicle was stopped on August 31, while a man identified as Abubakar Abdullahi, who was reportedly found in possession of it, was arrested.

Police said verification of the vehicle's details showed that its chassis number matched that of a vehicle reported stolen in Niger Republic. The Hilux was subsequently taken into police custody while investigators continued to examine the circumstances surrounding its movement into Nigeria.

The command also announced the arrest of Kabir Yusuf, a resident of India Road, Barnawa, Kaduna, over alleged possession of counterfeit currency. According to the police, intelligence led officers to the suspect, from whom they recovered 332 suspected fake $100 notes and six counterfeit ₦1,000 notes.

During preliminary questioning, police said Yusuf allegedly claimed that he obtained the counterfeit currency from a man identified as Sahibu Ruhan from Kano State. Ruhan was said to be at large at the time of the report, while investigators were working to trace him and determine whether other people were involved in the alleged counterfeit-currency operation.

The Kaduna Police Command commended residents who supplied information that assisted the various operations. The Commissioner of Police urged members of the public to remain alert and promptly report suspicious movements or activities to security agencies.

The command said it would continue with intelligence-led operations and clearance exercises across Kaduna State. However, the suspects arrested in the various incidents remain subject to investigation, and the allegations against them will have to be established through due process.