Sh*ck In Niger! Fake EFCC Official Nabbed For Alleged Student Kidnapping

The Niger State Police Command has arrested three suspects who posed as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to kidnap and extort students in Lapai.

The suspects — Emmanuel Linus (30) from Deidei, Hyelda Aliyu (28) from Nyanya, and Abduljallid Tanko (33) from Karo, all in Abuja — were apprehended on May 13, 2025, after police tracked their vehicle, a Toyota Corolla with registration number ABJ 245 CU, to the Suleja Road area near Kwakuti.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the trio used fake EFCC ID cards, all bearing the same fraudulent number “1069,” which were produced at a shop in Nyanya.

The suspects reportedly stormed a student’s residence with electronic tasers resembling guns, confiscated five mobile phones, and kidnapped two students. They demanded ₦10 million in ransom from the victims’ families, eventually negotiating down to ₦500,000 before being caught.

During interrogation, the suspects confessed to receiving inside information from two informants, Mohammed Hassan and Hamisu Adamu, both from Angwan-Hausa in Lapai. The duo, who previously knew Linus from Paiko, was also arrested.

Notably, Emmanuel Linus was revealed to be a former soldier with a prior criminal record and had been recently released from prison within the past two years.

All five individuals are currently in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) and will be charged in court after investigations conclude.