Police arrest eight-man syndicate over armed robbery, internet fraud in Gombe

The Gombe State Police Command has arrested an eight-member criminal syndicate allegedly involved in armed robbery and internet fraud.

It uncovered what investigators described as a coordinated operation that targeted residents, stole mobile phones and used victims’ personal information to gain unauthorized access to their bank accounts.

Police said the breakthrough followed a painstaking investigation into a robbery incident reported on June 7, 2026, by Hassan Muhammad and Jibril Hassan, both residents of Wuro Birji Quarters in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.

According to the Command, the victims reported that unidentified men armed with cutlasses invaded their homes at about 8:30 a.m. and made away with their mobile phones.

Investigations revealed that the suspects subsequently exploited sensitive information stored on the stolen devices to access the victims’ bank accounts without authorization.

Police said the syndicate fraudulently withdrew N296,790 from one victim’s GTBank account before obtaining a Quick Loan of N205,205, which was also withdrawn, bringing the total amount allegedly stolen to more than N501,000.

The Command explained that operatives, acting on credible intelligence and conducting technical analysis of the fraudulent transactions, traced part of the stolen funds to a Moniepoint account.

The digital trail led investigators to the arrest of the prime suspect, Mustapha Kabiru, also known as “Musty Bobo,” a 19-year-old National Diploma II Computer Science student of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaltungo.

“Kabiru was arrested on June 29, 2026, at about 5:30 p.m”, the Command said.

According to the police, the suspect confessed during interrogation to using information obtained from stolen mobile phones to unlawfully access victims’ bank accounts and carry out fraudulent transactions.

His confession reportedly enabled investigators to apprehend seven additional members of the syndicate.

Further investigations, police said, linked the group to more than 13 similar incidents across Wuro Birji, Riyal, Bomala and Jauro Jatau communities in Gombe State.

The Command noted that investigations are continuing, while efforts have been intensified to track down other members of the criminal network who remain at large.

Reacting to the development, Umar Chuso, Commissioner of Police in Gombe State, commended the operatives for their professionalism and diligence, describing the arrests as a significant breakthrough in the command’s ongoing campaign against violent crime and cyber-enabled fraud.

He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to tackling all forms of criminality, including internet fraud and armed robbery, and urged residents to remain vigilant by safeguarding their personal information and digital devices.

The Police Commissioner also encouraged members of the public to promptly report suspicious activities to the nearest police station to support ongoing efforts to enhance security across the State.