Police in Kano arrests two journalists for buying rice with fake bank transfer

Two individuals have been detained by the Kano State Police Command for allegedly scamming a rice dealer of N33,000 while posing as journalists.

The 30-year-old suspects Mujahid Kabir and Abba Imam were accused of faking a bogus bank transfer alert on February 2, 2023, for N33,000 in order to purchase a sack of rice at a plaza in Sharada Quarters, Kano Municipal Local Government Area, Kano State.

This information was released on Wednesday by the state police spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, who said, “On February 2, 2023, at or around 1700 hours, a report was received from the Manager of a Plaza at Sharada Quarters, Kano Municipal LGA, Kano State, that two people went to their Plaza, purchased a bag of rice for N33,000, and then generated a fake bank transfer alert to them.

“On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command CP Mamman Dauda, psc(+) raised and instructed a team of detectives led by SP Abdulrahim Adamu, Divisional Police Officer, Sharada Division to arrest the culprits.

“The team immediately proceeded to the scene and arrested the two suspects while trying to escape, one Mujahid Kabir, “m”, 30 Years old, of Ahmadu Bello Way and Abba Imam, ‘m’, 30 years old, of Zoo Road Kano. On spot search, the suspects were found in possession of Vision FM Personnel Identity Cards.

“On preliminary investigation, the suspects confessed to having gone to Vision FM Radio station Kano, stole two personnel Identity Cards and made fake copies bearing their names and photographs. They further confessed to having gone to the said plaza at Sharada Quarters, bought a bag of rice and made a fake transaction with the cashier.

“The Commissioner of Police directed the case to be transferred to the Command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for discreet investigation. Suspects will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.”

The CP warned locals to be on the lookout for fraudsters and scammers, secure their bank information, and alert their banks to any strange transactions.