Nigeria Police Force agents have dismantled a network that was allegedly selling motorcycles to Boko Haram militants in the states of Niger and Kaduna.
This was revealed Tuesday at a press conference held at Zone 7’s headquarters in Abuja by Benneth Igweh, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the Zone.
Detectives arrested three individuals in Suleja Local Government Area, Niger State, based on reliable intelligence, Igweh said.
He named the suspects as Mustapha Haruna, 22, Zaharadeen Saidu, 25, and Shamsuddeen Yunusa, 30, and stated that 22 motorcycles, several master keys, and stolen phones were found among them.
AIG Igweh claims that the gang specialised in the sale and modification of stolen motorcycles, which are then rented or sold to criminals, including alleged Boko Haram members who are active in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area in Kaduna State and the areas of Niger State.
He said, “In a proactive move to destabilise criminal activities, crime financing, and enabling in the FCT, Niger State, and its environs, detectives of the Zone 7 Headquarters were deployed to Suleja LGA, Niger State, where they successfully apprehended three suspects, namely: Shamsuddeen Yunusa, male, 30 years, from Hong LGA, Adamawa State; Zaharadeen Saidu, male, 25 years, from Soba LGA, Kaduna State; and Mustapha Haruna, male, 22 years, from Gwami, Adamawa State. Twenty-two motorcycles, different types of master keys, and stolen phones were recovered from them.
“The syndicate specialised in buying and selling stolen motorcycles in Suleja, Niger State. They further sell or hire those motorcycles to criminals believed to be Boko Haram elements terrorising parts of Niger State and Birnin Gwari LGA, Kaduna State.
“The leader of the gang, Shamsuddeen, revealed that he sells the motorcycles at the rate of N200,000 to N250,000. He further added that he recently received N250,000 from one Ibrahim Kabiru, who resides in Birnin Gwari LGA, Kaduna State, as part-payment for the supply of Bajaj motorcycles.
“Zaharadeen, on the other hand, is the courier of the motorcycles to the intending buyers. He voluntarily confessed to delivering motorcycles he collects from Shamsuddeen to one Mustapha in Suleja Town.
“Mustapha Haruna is the motorcycle mechanic of the syndicate. He fixes the stolen motorcycles before their delivery to customers.”
Igweh further disclosed that Sunday Danlami, a member of a well-known gang that engages in kidnapping and armed robbery in Benue State, was taken into custody by Zone 7 agents in a different operation.
Danlami admitted to being one of the people who abducted 21 physicians from Benue State in 2024, according to Igweh. Two other suspects are still at large, he noted.
“This gang specialises in armed robbery and kidnapping in Benue State and its environs, Igweh said.
“According to Sunday Danlami, he admitted to being among the gang responsible for the kidnapping of 21 doctors in Benue State last August. He further revealed that he has carried out several robbery operations on Adiga Road, where he has snatched different motorcycles from travelers. He sells these motorcycles and shares the proceeds with his gang members.
“He, however, revealed that he uses a lot of charms for protection whenever he is going out on any operation,” Igweh added.