The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested three suspects over the alleged forgery of an identity card belonging to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, following the interception of an unregistered Lexus IS 250 in Lafia.
According to Zagazola Makama, a security analyst, in his post on X on Sunday, “The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Rahman Nansel, said operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit intercepted the vehicle during a routine patrol around Bukan Sidi, Lafia, while it was conveying three occupants identified as Mohammed Umar, Mohammed Nuhu and Ibrahim Suleiman.”
He explained that Mohammed Nuhu introduced himself as an ICPC officer and presented an identification card purportedly issued by the commission.
Makama added that when Mohammed Umar, who was driving the vehicle, was questioned about its ownership, he reportedly failed to provide a satisfactory explanation, prompting the arrest of all three occupants for further investigation.
He said the police investigations subsequently revealed that the ICPC identity card presented by Mohammed Nuhu was allegedly forged.
The suspect, he explained, reportedly claimed that he accompanied the driver from Kaduna State to Lafia because the latter did not possess a valid driver’s licence.
The police said further profiling also linked the suspect to a cult group, the Eiye Confraternity.
The three suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue.
The command said they would be charged to court, while efforts were ongoing to establish the vehicle’s ownership and determine whether other offences were connected to the incident.
The Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State Command, CP Shetima Jauro Mohamed, reiterated the command’s commitment to proactive policing, intelligence-led operations and sustained efforts to combat crime across the state.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide credible information to the police to support efforts to maintain security.