Police arrest five Pakistanis in Benue, recover 35 mobile lhones

By Benedicta Aboh

The Benue State Police Command has arrested five Pakistani nationals in separate intelligence-led operations in Otukpo and Ugbokolo areas of the state and recovered 35 mobile phones.

The arrests, according to the Command, were carried out following credible intelligence on the activities and movements of the suspects in the areas.

Three of the suspects — Younas Mohammad, 36; Ahmad Nunil, 38; and Aslam Muhammad, 46 — were arrested on August 4, 2026, at Adoka Motor Park in Otukpo Local Government Area while allegedly attempting to board a vehicle to Adoka village.

The Police said the suspects claimed during preliminary questioning that they were in Otukpo to market cosmetics and mobile gadgets, but none of the items was found in their possession, raising questions about their activities and movements in the area.

In a separate operation the following day, operatives arrested two other Pakistani nationals, identified as Juma Sharif, 30, and Muhammed Sharif, 25, at a local hotel in Ugbokolo following credible intelligence.

The two suspects reportedly claimed to be dealers in Android phones, while a search of their belongings led to the recovery of 11 Tecno Camon 50 Pro mobile phones.

The Police said further investigation and operational follow-up led to the recovery of an additional 23 Tecno Camon 50 Pro phones and one Infinix Hot 60 phone, bringing the total number of recovered devices to 35.

The five suspects have since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Makurdi, for discreet and comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding their presence, activities and movements in the state.

The Command said it suspects that the possession of the mobile phones could be a decoy for clandestine activities in rural areas of the state, adding that the suspects' limited ability to speak or understand English had further raised concerns.

In a statement issued on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Orchia Peter Aondongu, for the Commissioner of Police, CP Cletus C.N. Nwadiogbu, the Command said the operations were part of its proactive and intelligence-led policing strategy to identify potential security threats and prevent criminal activities.

The Commissioner commended the officers involved in the operations as well as members of the public whose timely information contributed to the arrests.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, movements and activities to the Police, assuring that the Command would continue to work with relevant stakeholders to maintain peace and security across the state.

The Police said the public would be updated as investigations progress.