Nigerian Teenagers Caught With U.S.$9.7 Million at Airport

Following the arrest of two teenagers at the old domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, on Thursday night , shortly after arriving with $9.7m, 664,100 euro aboard an Arik Air flight from Kano, a senior police officer has called for community policing.

Narrating how the teenagers, identified as Abdul Bashir and Rabiu Bashir, were arrested, the officer, who pleaded for anonymity said, "I believe if the people, in the spirit of community policing, give information to the police, crime will be reduced to its barest minimum."

The officer at the Murtala Muhammed domestic airport police station disclosed that the suspects were arrested at the MMA2. "Men of the Nigerian Air Force got to the scene of arrest first. The boys were found out when one of them cried out that his money had been tampered with.

He said $50, 000 had been removed from his money. That drew the attention of people, the security and they were arrested and detained at the police station."

He said since they were northerners and claimed to be bureau de change operators, the police invited some bureau de change people who witnessed the counting of the money. " The bureau de change people came here. They helped in the counting of the money because it was so huge and we couldn't do it alone. They were in four big bags."

Explaining how the case was transferred to Abuja on the orders of the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, the officer said,

"When they were brought in, the DPO got an IPO to take their statements. I didn't go through the statements; so I cannot comment on that."

The source added, "We didn't sleep that day. Upon their arrest, the DPO contacted the commissioner in charge of the Airport Command who in turn informed the Inspector General of Police. The IG then ordered that the case be transferred to the antifraud unit of the Force CID in Abuja.

"The police commissioner, anti fraud unit came in from Abuja following the Inspector General's order to take over the case. They were taken to Abuja yesterday (Friday)."

Vanguard

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