Police Arrest ‘EFCC’ Official In Niger Over Alleged Kidnapping Of Students

The Niger State command of the Nigeria Police Force has apprehended three individuals who were impersonating agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the purpose of kidnapping and extorting students in Lapai.

Naija News reports that the arrested individuals, identified as Emmanuel Linus, 30, from Deidei, Abuja, Hyelda Aliyu, 28, from Nyanya, Abuja, and Abduljallid Tanko, 33, from Karo, Abuja, were taken into custody on May 13, 2025, after police operatives tracked their vehicle, a Toyota Corolla with the registration number ABJ 245 CU, to Suleja Road near Kwakuti.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the suspects utilised counterfeit EFCC identification cards, which were fabricated at a shop in Nyanya, Abuja, and bore the identical identification number 1069.

He further detailed that the suspects entered a student’s room brandishing electric tasers that resembled firearms, seized five mobile phones, and abducted two individuals.

“The suspects demanded N10 million from the student’s family, later negotiating to ₦500,000, before they were arrested,” the state command’s PRO revealed.

The police revealed that during questioning, the suspects admitted they were recruited by their informants, Mohammed Hassan and Hamisu Adamu, both from Angwan-Hausa via Lapai, who supplied them with details regarding the students. Abiodun stated that the two informant accomplices were also apprehended.

According to Abiodun, the informants provided Emmanuel Linus with information about the students, having previously known each other in Paiko.

Emmanuel has been identified as a former soldier with a criminal history and an ex-convict within the last two years.

All five suspects, including the two informants, are presently undergoing further investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) and will face charges in court for prosecution immediately following the investigation.