2nd August, 2016
The suspects identified as AbdulRahman Shuaibu, 21, Isiaku Maheed Zambuk, 47 and Hassan Haruna, 35, were arrested by the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, (IRT) following several complaints from individuals and highly placed personalities in Abuja of serious threat to their lives, intimidation and attempts to defraud them of huge sums of money.
Nigeria police spokesman, DCP Don Awunah, in a statement stated: ”The syndicate specialises in sending text messages and calling highly placed individuals such as Honourable Ministers, Senators, Governors, Captains of industry etc on phone demanding for huge sums of money or else the victims should await a grievous consequences if they failed to comply.
”Abdulrahman Shaibu, 21, who is the leader of the gang was arrested during a rigorous and painstaking investigation into the crime. His arrest led to the arrest of Isiaku Maheed Zanbuk 47 and Hassan Haruna, 35 who are also key members of the syndicate.
”The three suspects confessed to the crime and explained to the investigators various roles played by each of them in the perpetration of this criminal act and other related crimes they have committed in the past. They will be arraigned in Court on completion of investigation.”
Items recovered from the syndicate include a phone (handset) containing the SIM card/number used to threaten the complainant, copies of letters of threat to life addressed to highly placed Nigerians and copies of letters of fraud addressed to well meaning individuals and corporate bodies soliciting for monetary assistance for non existing tragedies and projects.
Also recovered from the suspects were list of names and phone numbers /contact of hundreds of important personalities in public and private sectors in Nigeria.