The police said it has busted a cartel dealing in jewellery worth billions of naira obtained from armed robbery operations in Abuja and environs.
Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement, said that on April 28th, an armed robbery incident occurred at the residence of a police officer, attached to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, in the Lugbe area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He said during the incident, the officer was nearly smothered, while a secured safe containing jewellery, money, academic certificates, documents, phones, and other valuable properties belonging to various residents in the compound were carted away.
Adejobi said CCTV footage captured the suspect at the crime scene, and the images have been helpful in forensic investigations in the case so far.
“Subsequent investigations traced the stolen items to Wuse Market, where they were allegedly purchased by one Alhaji Auwal. 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,” he stated.
The force spokesperson said 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 and that the 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 added.
