Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have busted a syndicate involved in selling and servicing motorcycles to Boko Haram terrorists in Niger and Kaduna states.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 7, Benneth Igweh, revealed this during a press briefing at the Zone’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
Igweh revealed that acting on credible intelligence, detectives apprehended three suspects in Suleja Local Government Area, Niger State.
The police chief identified the suspects as Shamsuddeen Yunusa, 30; Zaharadeen Saidu, 25; and Mustapha Haruna, 22, adding that a total of 22 motorcycles, multiple master keys, and stolen phones were recovered from the suspects.
According to Igweh, the syndicate specialises in the trade and modification of stolen motorcycles, which are sold or rented to criminals, including suspected Boko Haram operatives active in parts of Niger State and the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area in Kaduna State.
The police boss 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.”
