Army recovers N47,000 from fake currency syndicates

By OKOSUN DENNIS

Few days after troops of 33 Artillery Brigade, Nigerian Army Bauchi, decimated cattle rustlers within its Area of  Responsibilities, have arrested fake currency syndicate at Wunti market area of the state.

The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Major Joseph Adekunle Afolasade hinted National Daily that a tip off by members of the community led to the arrest of the suspects.                     

He further disclosed that the troops disguised themselves in plain clothes, sneaked into the Wunti market on 31 March, 2017 where one Mallam Idris Hassan, 47, years was arrested.

It was learnt that fake currency note worth N21,000 of N1,000 denomination was found in his possession.                   

On interrogation, he claimed that the fake currency notes were given to him by one Mallam Auwal Wanzam who resides in Bauchi City.                         

As a result of diligent investigation and surveillance led to the arrest of  other suspects across the states.

The suspects include Mallam Sani Ibrahim (Bauchi city), Abdulahi Suleiman, Zubairu Ya’u and Isyaku Hardo, who were arrested at Karfin Madaki, Ganjua Local Government area of Bauchi State respectively.

ALSO SEE: Nigerian Army battles cattle rustlers

Major Afolasade further disclosed that preliminary investigation revealed that the syndicates have a network of other criminal gang in Kano State they operate together and identified as one Malam Abubakar Musa, who was promptly arrested in Kano city.

During arrest, N26,000 faked Nigerian currency was also recovered from them, bringing to a total of N47,000                       

However, National Daily learnt that the suspected gang leader and the printer of the fake currency, Malam Suleiman Abubakar of Karfin  Madaki, Ganjua Local Government area of Bauchi State is still at large.                        

The suspects and the recovered fake currency notes have been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Zonal office, Gombe, Gombe, State command for further investigation and prosecution                   

The Brigade, however appealed to the general public to the support by giving useful information that would lead to routing suspicious criminal activities in the state saying that, “Together we shall all root out all criminals out of Bauchi State”.