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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

Jigawa police arrest suspects in N22m fraud, recover ATM cards, rifle

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Jigawa State Police Command arrested members of a fraud syndicate and a suspect in a N10.5 million breach of trust case.
  • A woman in Saudi Arabia was defrauded of N12.9 million by fraudsters posing as spiritual money-makers via WhatsApp.
  • Police also arrested a suspected ATM card fraudster with 36 ATM cards belonging to various banks.

The Jigawa State Police Command has announced major breakthroughs in its fight against crime, arresting members of a sophisticated fraud syndicate and a suspect involved in a N10.5 million breach of trust case.

Preliminary investigation revealed that fraudsters deceived the complainant’s wife, who resides in Saudi Arabia, by falsely presenting themselves as spiritual money-makers through WhatsApp.

— SP Shi’isu AdamThe Command’s Public Relations Officer described the method used in a major fraud case.

Detectives attached to Gumel Division uncovered the fraud syndicate following a complaint filed on July 6, 2026. Preliminary investigations revealed that fraudsters deceived the complainant's wife, who resides in Saudi Arabia, by falsely presenting themselves as spiritual money-makers through WhatsApp. The victim was defrauded of N12,923,000.00 through multiple bank accounts after being lured online. Police operatives tracked the WhatsApp number and bank accounts used in the crime, leading to the arrest of Ismail Adam Abdullahi, 21, from Zaria, Kaduna State. Abdullahi reportedly confessed during interrogation, and the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Dutse for further investigation and prosecution.

The victim was defrauded of ₦12,923,000.00 through multiple bank accounts after the suspects lured her online.

— SP Shi’isu AdamThe PPRO detailed the amount and method of the fraud.

In a separate case, detectives at Dutse Divisional Police Headquarters investigated a report involving Hafsatu Usman of Dutse LGA. Usman was entrusted with N10,500,000.00 but allegedly absconded with the money. Through intelligence gathering and technical investigation, her phone was tracked, leading to her arrest in Gombe State. This case has also been transferred to SCID Dutse for further action.

Through intelligence gathering and technical investigation, the suspect’s phone was successfully tracked, leading to her arrest in Gombe State.

— SP Shi’isu AdamThe PPRO explained how a suspect in a breach of trust case was apprehended.

Additionally, police in Kazaure Division arrested a suspected ATM card fraudster, Kassim Ali, 27, from Kano State, on July 9, 2026. The arrest followed a distress call from Access Bank Plc. Ali allegedly tampered with a female customer's ATM card and fraudulently withdrew money from her account. Investigations revealed that Ali specialized in visiting banks with an accomplice who is currently at large. A search of the suspect yielded 36 ATM cards belonging to various banks. The case has been transferred to SCID Dutse for comprehensive investigation.

The suspect allegedly tampered with a female customer’s ATM card and fraudulently withdrew money from her account.

— SP Shi’isu AdamThe PPRO described the actions of the suspected ATM card fraudster.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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