Operatives of the Sokoto State Police Command have arrested four suspected members of a counterfeiting syndicate linked to the notorious “Sai Mallam” cult group.
The officers also rescued two kidnapped victims during a separate anti-bandit operation in Binji Local Government Area of the state.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i.
According to Rufa’i, operatives of the command’s Strike Force Unit conducted an intelligence-driven raid on May 19 in the Mana area of Sokoto metropolis after receiving information from a resident.
The police said the operation focused on a house allegedly belonging to one Yusufa Auditor, who is currently on the run.
The suspects arrested were identified as Saifullahi Aminu of Dallatu Road area; Ahmad Sarkin Aski of Mana area; Muhammadu Lawali, popularly called Gunda, from Dange Shuni LGA; and Usama Muhammad, alias Na’Ukada.
The command stated that items recovered from the suspects included fake CFA currency, counterfeit United States dollars and naira notes, charms, fake gold stones, SIM cards, ATM cards, and a “magic box” allegedly used for producing fake money.
The statement further revealed that the suspects admitted during interrogation that they conspired with another suspect, Yanusa S. Aski, who is still at large, to defraud victims through fake money-doubling schemes.
“The suspects confessed to criminally cheating unsuspecting victims by collecting their money, performing magic tricks and falsely convincing them that they were multiplying currency,” the statement said.
In another operation on May 20, police operatives attached to Binji Police Station, working alongside personnel of the Army Forward Operating Base, thwarted what the command described as a bandit attack on Jareedi village in Binji LGA.
The attackers were said to have invaded the community late at night, shooting sporadically before abducting two residents identified as Umar Faruku, 30, and Husa Abdullahi, 52.
The police boss said tactical teams engaged the bandits in a gun battle, forcing them to retreat into a nearby forest and abandon the victims.
“One of the rescued victims sustained a minor injury on his right leg and was rushed to the hospital for treatment before being discharged,” the statement added.
The state Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Shaffa, praised the operatives involved in both operations and commended residents for providing valuable intelligence to security agencies.
“We now call on all residents of the Caliphate to continue providing timely, actionable information to security agencies. Your eyes and ears are critical to dismantling all forms of crime and criminality in our beloved state,” the police commissioner stated.
He assured residents that the command would sustain efforts against cultism, kidnapping, banditry, and other criminal activities across the state.
Recall that on Tuesday, the Edo State Police Command rescued an abducted woman.
The police said, “On 16th May, 2026, at about 0945hrs, one Chinedu George ‘m’, aged 18 years, reported that he was abducted with his mother, Mrs Vivian George, aged 57 years, by suspected kidnappers while on their way to their farm at Ottah Community, Igbanke, but he managed to escape.”
