Police Arrest Five Pakistanis Over Alleged Suspicious Activities in Benue, Recover 35 Mobile Phones

The Benue State Police Command has apprehended five Pakistani nationals suspected of engaging in clandestine activities within rural areas of the state. The arrests occurred in the Otukpo and Ugbokolo communities, following credible intelligence received by the command regarding the foreigners' movements and operations.

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The suspects were arrested on August 4 and 5, 2026, following credible intelligence received by the command of their activities and movements in the areas.

During separate operations on August 4 and 5, 2026, police recovered a total of 35 mobile phones from the suspects. Three individuals, identified as Younas Mohammad, Ahmad Nunil, and Aslam Muhammad, were arrested on August 4 while attempting to travel to Adoka village. They stated they were in the area to market cosmetics and mobile gadgets, but no such items were found in their possession.

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The suspects claimed during preliminary questioning that they were in Otukpo to market cosmetics and mobile gadgets. Still, none of these items were found in their possession, raising questions about their activities and movements in the area.

The following day, two other Pakistani nationals, Juma Sharif and Muhammed Sharif, were arrested at a hotel in Ugbokolo. They claimed to be dealers in Android phones, leading to the recovery of 11 Tecno Camon 50 Pro phones. Further investigation resulted in the discovery of 23 more Tecno phones and one Infinix Hot 60, bringing the total recovered phones to 35.

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The police spokesman said the command was investigating whether the possession of the phones could be a decoy for other activities in rural areas of the state, noting that the suspects had difficulty speaking or understanding English.

The suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation into their presence and activities. Police are examining whether the possession of numerous phones could be a cover for other operations, especially given the suspects' limited ability to speak or understand English. The Commissioner of Police urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities.

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He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, movements and activities to the police, adding that the command would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders and members of the public to identify potential security threats, prevent criminal.