Three people have been arrested in Zamfara for allegedly printing counterfeit dollar bills in the state.
According to reports, the suspects were nabbed by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Commandant Muhammad Bello Muazu, who paraded the suspects on Wednesday at the NSCDC headquarters in Gusau, said the suspects were apprehended in connection with the printing and circulation of fake naira and US dollar notes in the state.
Represented by the Command’s spokesman, Ikor Oche, the commandant said the suspects, aged 28 and 29, were arrested in Gusau on April 3, while trying to pay a transport fare to a commercial tricycle operator (also known as Keke Napep) with a fake N1,000 note in the state.
“The Keke Napep operator was able to identify the fake note and raised an alarm that led to the arrest of the culprits,” he stated.
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that one of the suspects has indulged in the illicit business for the period of one year.
Oche added that the suspect confessed to having been introduced to the illicit act by a native of Tsafe Local Government Area.
The commandant explained that the suspect had confessed that another accomplice was supplying the fake currency and that each fake N1,000 note was exchanged for N400.
“The operatives of the NSCDC traced the supplier of the fake currency notes to Kwartarkwarshi village, a residential hometown of the prime suspect who is now at large,” he said.
Oche revealed that the sum of 60,000 fake naira notes was found along with 1,600 fake US dollars from the suspects.
The corps also advised the general public to be wary of mischievous people.