Acting on credible Intelligence, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ (NSCDC) Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) has arrested members of a notorious counterfeit dollars and Naira syndicate operating within and around Plateau, Nasarawa, Bauchi, and Gombe states.

Commandant General, NSCDC, associate professor Ahmed Audi, made this known via a communique in Abuja.

He said two syndicates who specialize in the production and distribution of counterfeited US Dollars, (USD), and new Naira notes for circulation into the society, were arrested by the agency’s special intelligence squad for being involved in offenses including criminal conspiracy, cheating, Obtaining By Trick, (OBT), and production/distribution of counterfeited US Dollars (USD) and new Naira notes

One of the groups arrested which consisted of four male adults were caught in possession of fake sixty-four thousand, eight hundred US dollars, ($64,800), and four hundred and seventy-five thousand Naira (N475,000) notes, while fake notes of N1.5m were also seized from the second group consisting of five male adults

The members whose names were listed as Dantala Omale, ‘M’, 30yrs, Plateau State, Musa Abdullahi, ‘M’ 24yrs, Plateau state, Audu Abdulazeez, ‘M’, 56yrs, Gombe State, Umar Hassan ‘M’, 46yrs, plateau state and Mahammadu Badaru Yakubu ‘M’ 30yrs, Nasarawa State.

According to the statement, “The arrest was effected when one Dantala Omale was lured to Nasarawa from Plateau state and picked up by the squad on the 22nd of February, 2023, with fake new naira notes of N412,000.

“The arrested suspect confessed to getting the fake notes from Musa Abdullahi, Also Known As, (AKA), Baballe which led to the arrest of Abdullahi on 22nd of February, 2023 at Namu area of Quanpan LGA in Plateau state in possession of N49,650 old naira notes.

“After a thorough interrogation, Abdullahi confessed that he usually gets his supply of fake currencies from one Audu Abdulazeez, AKA Dan-Gombe, who the squad arrested on the 3rd of March 2023, at Plateau Express service motor park in Jos, Plateau State, at about 11:20 a.m with N350,000 fake newly redesigned Naira notes.”

As an investigation by the squad continues, all members of the syndicate were eventually arrested when Abdulazeez confessed to giving one Umar Hassan the fake notes.
When arrested, Hassan was found to be in possession of N20,500.

The statement indicated that Hassan confessed involvement in the crime and that he regularly transact with one Mohammadu Badaru Yakubu, who was also arrested close to the old CBN office in lafia town, at about 3:10 p.m on March 5, 2023, with fake N2000 of the new Naira notes.

Another syndicate busted by the NSCDC team were caught with $64,800 and N475,000.

They include Jonathan Dakogol, Abbas Ibrahim, Isa Ukashatu and Aminu Isa.

They were arrested with fake $64,800 and N475,000 at Akurba of Lafia Local Government Area, (LGA), in Nasarawa State after being lured to deliver the money to a client.

Upon arrest, Dakogol volunteered and led the CG’S SIS operatives to Kurgwi area in Quaan’Pan LGA, Plateau State, where one Aminu Isa who was alleged to be a herbalist was also arrested.

Isa also led the Squad to the arrest of one 62 years old Abbas Ibrahim in Quaan’Pan LGA, Plateau State who had collected $30,000 in fake US Dollars from him.

All suspects at the point of arrest were found in possession of fake dollars and the newly redesigned Naira notes ranging from N500 to N1000 denominations respectively and had also confessed to being involved in the business for over five years.

In another development, the Commandant General has offered to pay the hospital bills of one of its personnel from Lagos state command, Ibrahim Adam, involved in a fatal crash at Giri, in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT).

While on a visit to check the health status of the affected personnel involved in the crash, Audi instructed that Adam who was billed for surgery, be attended to without delay.

Affirming his commitment to the welfare of his personnel, the CG directed the Head of the unit of the NSCDC Health and Medical Services, Dr Oba Jude to monitor and coordinate the victim’s treatment, ensuring that the required attention is accorded the officer who was diagnosed to have spinal cord injury with multiple fractures.

Five others involved in the accident had been discharged after significant improvements in their health condition

According to the statement, Adam suffered a spinal cord injury and multiple fractures.