Police bust jewellery cartel in Abuja, nab 26 suspects

The operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have dismantled a cartel dealing in jewellery worth billions of naira obtained from armed robbery operations in Abuja and its environs.

This followed an armed robbery incident at the residence of a police officer, attached to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, in the Lugbe area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on April 28, 2024.

The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, disclosed that during the incident, the officer was nearly smothered, while a safe containing jewellery, money, academic certificates, documents, phones, and other valuable properties belonging to various residents in the compound were carted away.

Adejibi noted that CCTV footage captured the suspect at the crime scene, which has been helpful in police’s forensic investigations in the case.

He said subsequent investigations traced the stolen items to Wuse Market, where they were allegedly purchased by one Alhaji Auwal.

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The police spokesperson stated: “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.

“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.”

Adejobi, however, debunked reports that the robbery incident occurred at the residence of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, saying: “Those purporting the robbery, burglary or theft to have taken place in the residence of the IG obviously do not know how the residence of the IGP looks like, otherwise they would have known that no robber, burglar or thief can get close to the residence of the Inspector-General of Police of Nigeria and current chairman of the committee of West Africa Chiefs of Police.”

The Star