We’ve operated in 7 states, made over N84m selling stolen phones — Suspect

The leader of an interstate telephone syndicate, Ali Muhammad, who rob important personalities of their expensive phones, has confessed to operating in seven states in the country and has realised over N84 million selling stolen phones.

Ali was paraded alongside 20 other suspected kidnappers arrested by the state security outfit codenamed Amotekun, in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Three of the kidnappers, Shaibu Dolo, Saidu Yinusa and Haruna Musa, were arrested in their camp located between Edo and Ondo states after they abducted 32 burial guests last weekend.

In an interview with newsmen, Ali said: “I am Muhammad Ali from Abuja, we have operated successfully in seven states without any hindrance until we were caught in Ondo State by Amotekun. From the operations carried out, over N84 million has been realised by my gang.”

Ali confessed that security agencies have tried all their efforts in those states to put their activities into check, but all to no avail.

Speaking on their arrest, the state commander of Amotekun,  Adetunji Adeleye, who estimated the value of the phones stolen by the syndicate in the seven states at N84 million said they were arrested in a hotel where they lodged in Akure.

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“They have confessed to having successfully operated in seven states until they got to Ondo State and we tracked them to the hotel where they lodged.

“The way they operate is that they came into the state with a car and two motorcycles and contact two or three locals who understand the terrain to take them round the town for survey.

“They visit big supermarkets, busy commercial markets, but they don’t steal money, only expensive phones and we have over 20 phones, which they stole around Akure metropolis within two days of their operation before they were arrested.”

Adeleye said three of the kidnappers of the 32 burial guests in lfon area of the state, Shaibu Dolo, Saidu Yinusa and Haruna Musa, were arrested in their camp located between Edo and Ondo states after they abducted 32 burial guests last weekend.

According to him, the suspects had confessed to the crime but denied their involvement in the abduction of the burial guests.

According to Adeleye, “the suspects said they are only in charge of food and charging phones in the camp.

“We arrested some members of the kidnapping gang  along the Ose/Owo axis where we had a recent kidnap.

“We tracked the phones that were being used by the kidnappers and we met them around the tracking area but they told us that their leader had ran away.

Vanguard