The Nigeria Police Force has apprehended 962 individuals across the country since the beginning of 2025 for various crimes, including armed robbery, kidnapping, murder, and illegal possession of firearms.
Force Public Relations Officer Muyiwa Adejobi revealed this during a suspect parade held in Abuja on Wednesday, where 13 individuals were presented.
Providing a breakdown of the arrests, Adejobi noted, “Since January 1, 2025, the Nigeria Police Force has achieved significant progress in crime fighting. These include the arrest of 179 armed robbery suspects, 100 for kidnapping, 152 for murder/homicide, 34 suspects for illegal possession of prohibited firearms, 77 rape suspects, and 110 suspected cultists.”
Adejobi also disclosed that the police recovered 73 firearms, 310 rounds of ammunition, 56 stolen vehicles, and rescued 302 kidnapping victims during this period.
Two suspects, Folarin Tomisin, 35, and Yahaya Oladimeji, 23, were arrested in Ogun State for allegedly defrauding their employer of ₦300 million. The suspects, employees of a lifestyle hospitality business, were apprehended on December 13, 2024, around 7:30 p.m.
Adejobi explained that the suspects had diverted company funds over several years to finance a gambling addiction.
“The investigation revealed that the suspects had been involved in betting for three years but only managed to recover ₦2-3 million out of their significant losses,” he said.
One of the suspects, Tomisin, reportedly considered suicide before his arrest due to financial distress. Both suspects have confessed to their crimes and are set to face charges upon the conclusion of investigations.
In a separate case, three suspects impersonating military personnel were arrested in Abuja for defrauding individuals and businesses using fake bank alerts.
The suspects include Muhammed Kabir, who posed as a captain in the Nigerian Army, Donald Okpere, and Haruna Ibrahim.
Kabir reportedly led the gang, which specialized in purchasing medical equipment and phones using fraudulent alerts.
“The suspects, arrested on January 16, 2025, have been linked to a series of fraudulent purchases, including medical equipment worth ₦3.2 million sold at a lower price of ₦1.1 million,” Adejobi stated.
Efforts are ongoing to apprehend another suspect, Musa Mujahid, who is currently at large, while the police continue their investigations.
