George Okoh in Makurdi
The Benue State Police Command has arrested five Pakistani nationals over suspected clandestine activities in rural parts of two Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Peter Aondongu, in a statement yesterday, said the police also recovered 35 mobile phones from the arrested foreigners in separate intelligence-led operations in the rural town of Otukpo in Otukpo LGA and the Ugbokolo community in Okpokwu LGA of the state.
Aondongu stated that the suspects were arrested on August 4 and 5, 2026, following credible intelligence received by the command of their activities and movements in the areas.
He said that three of the suspects, identified as Younas Mohammad, 36; Ahmad Nunil, 38; and Aslam Muhammad, 46, were arrested on August 4 at Adoka motor park in Otukpo LGA while attempting to board a vehicle to Adoka village.
The police spokesperson explained that the suspects claimed during preliminary questioning that they were in Otukpo to market cosmetics and mobile gadgets. Still, none of these items were found in their possession, raising questions about their activities and movements in the area.
He added that in a separate operation the following day, two other Pakistani nationals, Juma Sharif, 30, and Muhammed Sharif, 25, were arrested at a local hotel in Ugbokolo following intelligence received by the police.
The two suspects, according to the PPRO, reportedly claimed to be dealers in Android phones, prompting the police to search their belongings, during which 11 Tecno Camon 50 Pro mobile phones were recovered.
Aondongu said further investigation and operational follow-up led to the recovery of 23 additional Tecno Camon 50 Pro phones and one Infinix Hot 60, bringing the total number of mobile phones recovered from the five suspects to 35.
He stated that the suspects have since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Makurdi for further investigation into their presence, activities and movements in the state.
The police spokesman said the command was investigating whether the possession of the phones could be a decoy for other activities in rural areas of the state, noting that the suspects had difficulty speaking or understanding English.
He noted, however, that the investigation was ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding their presence and activities.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Cletus Nwadioogbu, commended the officers involved in the operations as well as members of the public whose information contributed to the arrests.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, movements and activities to the police, adding that the command would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders and members of the public to identify potential security threats, prevent criminal activities and safeguard lives and property across the state.