The Nigeria Police Force has dismantled a network dealing in jewelry worth billions of Naira, stolen in armed robberies across Abuja and its environs. Spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi announced the bust following an incident on April 28, 2024, where a police officer from the Force Headquarters in Abuja was attacked in his home located in the Lugbe area of the Federal Capital Territory.
The officer was nearly suffocated, and a safe containing jewelry, cash, academic certificates, documents, phones, and other valuables from various residents in the compound was taken. Adejobi noted that CCTV footage captured at the crime scene has been pivotal in advancing the forensic investigation.
Investigators traced the stolen jewelry to Alhaji Auwal, a member of the FCT Gold Dealers Association. The operation led to the arrest of twenty-six suspects. According to the police, the stolen items were located in Wuse Market, where they had been purchased by Alhaji Auwal. Ignoring police warnings to the FCT Gold Dealers Association to avoid buying I stolen gold via their joint WhatsApp platform, Auwal went ahead with the transaction and instructed his associates on how to proceed with the stolen goods.
The Force Intelligence Department’s further investigation revealed that Auwal, along with his sons and other associates, was part of a cartel involved in the trade of stolen jewelry. This group has connections to several similar cases under investigation in the FCT. The twenty-six suspects and others currently in custody are being held legally under a court order and will face charges once the investigations are complete.
Adejobi clarified that, contrary to some reports, the robbery did not occur at the residence of the Inspector General of Police. He emphasized that no such incident took place at the IGP’s home or any official police facility. The IGP’s residence is extremely secure, making such a crime there impossible. Had such an event occurred, the focus would be on detaining policemen rather than a gang of armed robbers. The neighborhood of the IGP’s residence is fortified and secure against any criminal activities.
