The Nigeria Police Force says its operatives have arrested a syndicate supplying motorcycles to members of the Boko Haram insurgents and other criminal elements in the Northern part of the country.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 7, Benneth Igweh made the disclosure on Tuesday while briefing journalists in Abuja.
He said that the operation followed credible intelligence that led operatives to the Suleja Local Government Area, Niger State, where three suspects – Shamsuddeen Yunusa, 30; Zaharadeen Saidu, 25; and Mustapha Haruna, 22 – were arrested.
According to Igweh, a total of 22 stolen motorcycles, multiple master keys and phones were recovered from the three suspects.
He added that the syndicate specializes in the trade and modification of stolen motorcycles, which are sold or rented to criminals, including suspected Boko Haram operatives and bandits in parts of Niger and Kaduna States.
“The leader of the gang, Shamsuddeen, revealed that he sells the motorcycles at the rate of N200,000 to N250,000.
“He added that he recently received N250,000 from one Ibrahim Kabiru, who resides in Birnin Gwari LGA, Kaduna State, as part payment for the supply of Bajaj motorcycles.
“Zaharadeen, on the other hand, is the courier of the motorcycles to the intending buyers. He voluntarily confessed to delivering motorcycles he collects from Shamsuddeen to one Mustapha in Suleja Town.
“Mustapha Haruna is the motorcycle mechanic of the syndicate. He fixes the stolen motorcycles before their delivery to customers”, Igweh disclosed.
