The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Zamfara State Command has arrested three people in connection with N2 million worth of counterfeit currency. The Command spokesman, Ikor Uche, paraded the suspects. The corps arrested them for their involvement in printing, minting and distributing counterfeit naira and dollar currency to the public.
Uche said Kamallu Sani, 28, Sulieman Yusuf, 29 and Uzaifa Muazu, were arrested in Gusau. They had tried to make payments for their transport fare to a Keke Napep rider in the town in April. However, the Keke Napep operator was able to identify the currency as counterfeit. He quickly raised the alarm which led to the arrest of the culprits.
According to Command, the investigation found that Kamallu Sani had been in business for one year.
He confessed that he was introduced to illegal activities by Ado Gurgu of the Tsafe Local Government Area. Ado took him to one Muazu Abdulkarim of Kwartarkwarshi village who showed him the “business”.
Uche also stated that Kamallu acknowledged that he was the person Muazu Abdulkarim supplied the counterfeit banknote, Furthermore, each counterfeit N1000 banknote he exchanged, is for N400 only.
The operatives of the Corps traced the supplier to Kwartarkwarshi village. This is where the prime suspect, Muazu Abdulkarim, directed his son, Uzaifa Muazux, to open a box that contained fake currencies both in Naira and Dollars for supply to the suspects. Muazu is still at large though and his son was also involved in the “business’.
The sum of N60,000 fake currency was found alongside $2,600 of fake notes, totalling N1.92 million found in the box. He, however, said that N17,000 of the fake currency was recovered from Kamallu Sani during his arrest.
Furthermore, he confirmed that Uzaifa Muazu, who was the son of the prime suspect Muazu Abdulkarim, confessed that his father had been in the illicit act for more than three years.
He added that he got the fake monies from Kano in the company of One Ado Gurgu. Uche said the Commandant, Muhammad Muazu, however, advised the general public to be wary of the mischievous set of people.
He said the Corps had beamed its searchlight on the mischief makers and would clamp down on them heavily. He added that the Civil Defence Corps would hand the suspects to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.
cc: Punch Ng
