The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested three suspects over alleged forgery of an Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) identity card and recovery of an unregistered Lexus IS 250.
The suspects were identified as Mohammed Umar, Mohammed Nuhu and Ibrahim Suleiman.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Ramhan Nansel, said operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit intercepted the suspects during a routine patrol around Bukan Sidi area of Lafia.
He said the suspects were travelling in a Lexus IS 250 without a registration number when they were stopped by the police.
‘Upon interrogation, Mohammed Nuhu introduced himself as an officer of the ICPC and presented an identification card purportedly issued by the Commission. However, when Mohammed Umar, the driver of the vehicle, was questioned about its ownership, he was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation, prompting the arrest of all three occupants for further investigation,’ the PPRO stated.
Nansel said investigation revealed that the ICPC identification card presented by Mohammed Nuhu was forged.
He added that Nuhu claimed he accompanied the driver from Kaduna State to Lafia because the driver did not possess a valid driver’s licence.
The police spokesman further disclosed that profiling of the suspects revealed that one of them, Ibrahim Suleiman, is allegedly associated with an unlawful society known as the Eiye Confraternity.
He said the allegations are being investigated to establish the full circumstances and determine the extent of involvement of each suspect.
According to him, ‘the suspects remain in custody as investigations continue and they will be charged to court for prosecution, while efforts are being intensified to verify the vehicle’s ownership.’
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State Command, Shetima Jauro Mohammed, has reiterated the Command’s commitment to proactive policing, intelligence-led operations and sustained fight against crime and criminality in the state.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements and activities to the nearest police station.