Kano operation busts fake job syndicate targeting university students

The Zone One Police Command in Kano has arrested a 32-year-old suspect, Richard Peter, over an alleged fraudulent ushering job scheme targeting students of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), with police recovering 29 mobile phones and other stolen items from the victims.

The arrest was confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer of the zone, DSP Abdullahi Hussaini, who said the suspect, reportedly from Lagos State, was apprehended following a formal petition submitted to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police by a group of affected students led by Clementina Paul.

According to the police, the suspect allegedly deceived 38 female students under the guise of offering them ushering jobs.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, working in collaboration with one Faith Dauda, invited the students to Mairabo Hotel in the Sabon Gari area of Kano on May 10, 2026.

Upon arrival, the victims were reportedly instructed to change into working attire and surrender their mobile phones and personal belongings, with assurances that phones were not allowed at the supposed event venue.

The police said the suspect later took the students to the hotel restaurant, where he ordered meals worth about N6,000 per person before disappearing without settling the bill.

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“After eating and waiting for several hours, the victims returned to the room and discovered that their phones and other items had been stolen,” the statement said.

Following intelligence and technical tracking, one of the stolen phones was traced to the Kano Line Motor Park. Operatives moved swiftly to the location but discovered that the suspect had already boarded a vehicle heading towards Lagos.

He was later intercepted and arrested in Zaria, Kaduna State, while attempting to evade capture.

The police confirmed that 29 mobile phones and other personal items belonging to the victims were recovered during the operation. The suspect is currently in custody at the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department and will be charged to court upon completion of investigations.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone One, Garba Ahmed, commended officers for their swift response and successful arrest, describing the operation as a demonstration of the command’s commitment to tackling fraud and protecting residents.

He also urged members of the public, particularly students and job seekers, to exercise caution when responding to job offers, especially those requiring surrender of personal belongings or involving unverified recruiters.

The police further advised residents to verify employment opportunities through official channels to avoid falling victim to similar scams.