Nigeria Police Arrest 962 Suspects Nationwide Since Start of 2025
The Nigeria Police Force has apprehended 962 suspects across the country for various crimes since the beginning of 2025.
According to a breakdown of the arrests, 179 individuals were taken into custody for armed robbery, 100 for kidnapping, 152 for murder or homicide, 34 for unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, 77 for rape, and 110 for cult-related activities, among other offenses.
Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, made this disclosure on Wednesday while parading 13 of the arrested suspects at the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) headquarters in Abuja.
He stated, “Since January 1, 2025, the Nigeria Police Force has made notable strides in combating crime. So far, we have arrested 179 armed robbery suspects, 100 kidnappers, 152 individuals linked to murder and homicide cases, and 34 suspects found in possession of prohibited firearms. Additionally, we apprehended 77 rape suspects, 110 suspected cultists, and recovered 73 firearms, 310 rounds of ammunition, and 56 stolen vehicles. Our operations also led to the successful rescue of 302 kidnapped victims nationwide.”
Adejobi further revealed that among those arrested were two individuals, Folarin Tomisin (35) and Yahaya Oladimeji (23), who allegedly defrauded their employer of ₦300 million.
The duo, who worked for a lifestyle hospitality business in Ogun State, were apprehended on December 13, 2024. Investigations revealed that they had been siphoning company funds for years, transferring large sums into personal accounts to support their gambling addiction. Despite spending heavily on betting for three years, their financial gains remained minimal.
“Efforts to recover the stolen funds have been challenging, as investigations indicate most of the money was lost to gambling. One of the suspects, Folarin Tomisin, was reportedly contemplating suicide before his arrest due to severe financial losses. Both individuals have confessed to their crimes and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations,” Adejobi said.
In a separate operation, the IRT arrested a gang posing as military officers to defraud businesses and individuals using fake bank alerts.
The suspects, identified as Muhammed Kabir (who falsely claimed to be a Nigerian Army captain), Donald Okpere, and Haruna Ibrahim (25), were arrested in Abuja on January 16, 2025.
Adejobi explained that the gang specialized in purchasing medical equipment and mobile phones with fraudulent bank transactions.
“Operatives of the IRT, acting on credible intelligence, arrested these individuals dressed in military uniforms. Their leader, Muhammed Kabir, along with one accomplice still at large, had purchased medical equipment worth ₦3.2 million using fake alerts and later sold them for just ₦1.1 million,” he added.
The police spokesman assured that investigations were ongoing and urged members of the public to remain vigilant against fraudulent activities.
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