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June 12, 2024
The police further noted that CCTV footage captured the suspect at the crime scene, “which has been helpful in our forensic investigations in the case so far”.
The Nigerian police have denied that gold worth N700 million was stolen from the quarters of the Inspector General of Police.
A petition sent to Amnesty International had said the stolen jewellery belonged to Principal Staff Officer 3 to the IGP. But the police on Wednesday denied the allegation.
A statement signed by the spokesperson for the police force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, noted that the Force successfully dismantled a cartel dealing in jewellery worth billions of Naira obtained from armed robbery operations in Abuja and its environs.
The statement read in part, “On 28th April 2024, an armed robbery incident occurred at the residence of a police officer, attached to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, in Lugbe area of the Federal Capital Territory.
“During the incident, the officer was nearly smothered, while a secured safe containing jewellery, money, academic certificates, documents, phones and other valuable properties belonging to various residents in the compound were carted away.”
The police further noted that CCTV footage captured the suspect at the crime scene, “which has been helpful in our forensic investigations in the case so far”.
The police said, “Subsequent investigations traced the stolen items to Wuse Market, where they were allegedly purchased by one Alhaji Auwal.
“Despite police warnings to the FCT Gold Dealers Association to avoid purchasing the stolen gold via their joint WhatsApp platform, Alhaji Auwal facilitated its purchase and instructed his associates on how to handle it.
“Further investigations by the Force Intelligence Department revealed that Alhaji Auwal, his sons, and other associates are part of a cartel involved in dealing in stolen jewellery.
“This group has been linked to previous similar cases under police investigations at various formations within the FCT.”
According to the statement, the 26 suspects arrested in connection with the case and many others, who are currently in custody, are being detained legally under a court order and “will be charged to court upon conclusion of the investigations, contrary to the news making rounds”.
SaharaReporters on Tuesday reported how an anonymous petitioner accused the police of detaining after jewellery worth N700 million went missing in the residence of the IGP, in a petition sent to Amnesty International and obtained by SaharaReporters.
The petitioner accused the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abuja of arresting several members of the Gold Dealers Association of Wuse Market and PoS operators who transacted business with Alhaji Auwal, the prime suspect.
“A preliminary investigation revealed that, the police IRT unit was working directly under the instructions of IGP who had subjected all those arrested to untold and inhumane hardship ranging from beaten, hanging and forcefully collecting money from them under the guise of recovery of the stolen Gold,” it read.
According to the petition, those being detained by IRT were Alh. Aminu Sarkin Zabarmawan Kebbi and his two shop attendants; Alh. Musa Aliyu; Alh. Nuhu Usman; Anas Aminu; Yahaya (tailor from Rigasa); several PoS operators and many others.