From Abel Leonard, Lafia
Operatives of the Nasarawa State Police Command have arrested a 33-year-old man, Yusuf Idris, for alleged impersonation and fraud involving unsuspecting job seekers.
The arrest was made by officers attached to the State Intelligence Department following allegations that the suspect had been name-dropping the Commissioner of Police, CP Shehu Umar Nadada, to deceive his victims.
Confirming the arrest on Sunday, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nansel Ramhan, stated that preliminary investigations revealed the suspect, who hails from Obi Local Government Area but resides in Ombi I, Lafia, had fraudulently obtained money from his victims by promising them employment opportunities in the Nigeria Police Force and the Nasarawa State Hospital Management Board.
“Yusuf Idris defrauded one Monday Akinde from Obi Local Government Area of ₦300,000 under the guise of securing a job at the Nasarawa State Hospital Management Board,” DSP Ramhan said. “He also claimed to have a recruitment slot in the Nigeria Police Force, which he attempted to sell for ₦500,000, falsely alleging that the Commissioner of Police had approved it.”
To convince his victim, Idris reportedly brought him to the Police Command Headquarters in Lafia and left him at the entrance while pretending to have connections inside. However, his actions raised suspicion, and he was apprehended within the premises.
A search conducted on the suspect yielded incriminating evidence, including two fake promotion letters purportedly from Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, which he claimed to have sourced from Facebook, and a cash sum of ₦300,000.
“The Commissioner of Police has urged anyone who might have fallen victim to this suspect to come forward with their complaints,” the statement added. “The public is also advised to be cautious of employment racketeers and avoid sharing sensitive personal information on social media.”
CP Nadada reiterated his commitment to curbing such fraudulent activities in the state and warned individuals engaging in similar schemes to desist or face the full weight of the law.