The Gombe State Police Command have arrested 12 individuals linked to two counterfeit syndicates operating within the state.
The suspects, six from each group, were found in possession of $56,300 in counterfeit US dollars and N265,000 in fake Nigerian naira notes.
According to the Police, both syndicates specialized in producing counterfeit notes of both the US dollar and the Nigerian naira.
The spokesperson for the state police command, ASP Mahid Abubakar, revealed that the arrests were carried out in various locations, spanning the Bajoga, Funakaye and Dukku local government areas of Gombe State.
According to the PPRO, the members of one of the groups were arrested in possession of 500 counterfeit pieces of 100 dollars and N265,000.
Mahid stated that they were busted after one Buba Muhammadu tried to buy drugs from one Muhammad Ismail in Sangaru quarters in Bajoga with a counterfeit N1,000 note, stating that arresting Muhammadu led to the arrest of other members of the gang.
He identified the first set of suspects as Buba Muhammadu, aged 45, Jungudo Muhammadu (53), Adamu Yusuf Mallum (30), Abdulhamid Abdullahi (60), Salihu Abdulhamid (50), and Abubakar Abdullahi (35).
The unravelling of the second syndicate occurred in Malala village, Dukku Local Government Area.
Mahid identified the second set of suspects as “Haruna Adamu, aged 60 years, male, of Tanji Village Darazo LGA, Bauchi State; Garba Ibrahim, aged 25 years, male of Hashidu, Dukku LGA, Gombe State; Samaila Musa, aged 30 years, male of Gombe Abba, Dukku LGA; Sa'adu Muhammed, aged 23 years, male, of No.10 Badarawa Quarters, Kaduna State; Yusuf Abdullahi, aged 30 years, male of Gombe Abba, Dukku LGA; Muhammadu Umaru, aged 26 years, male, of Gombe Abba Dukku LGA”.
He said all suspects have confessed to their involvement in the counterfeit operations and will face legal charges accordingly.
