Kebbi State Police Command has dismissed as false recent reports alleging the emergence of a terrorist group known as “Sai Mallam” reportedly imposing levies on communities in the Argungu and Zuru Emirates, insisting that no such terrorist group exists in the state.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
He explained that the reports stemmed from a misunderstanding of the activities of a cybercrime syndicate locally known as “Yan Vocal,” which operates in Argungu Local Government Area.
According to him, the syndicate, made up mainly of youths between the ages of 19 and 24, specialises in hacking social media accounts, creating fake online identities, and using blackmail, threats, and other deceptive tactics to extort money from unsuspecting victims.
He added that the group’s targets include political office holders, traditional and religious leaders, business owners, and other prominent personalities within and outside Nigeria.
The group operates by deploying sophisticated online techniques, including the use of video editing applications and pre-recorded nude videos, and manipulate mobile devices in a way that deceives victims into believing they are engaged in live video calls with women.
According to the statement, the Command through a coordinated intelligence-led operation, arrested thirteen suspects linked to the syndicate, among those arrested are Ahmed Nasir, Rabiu Sani, Sadiq Umar, and Umar Nasir – all of Argungu – who conspired to obtain nude images of a female victim and demanded the sum of ₦1,000,000 from her under threat of exposure.
Similarly, Faisal Muhammed and Abbas Baraye were for their involvement in online extortion through the use of nude pictures, while Abdullahi Abubakar, Abdulhamid Mukhtar, and Al’amin Aminu were allegedly defrauded a victim of ₦3,000,000 after manipulating a video to falsely portray the victim as being on a live video call with a naked woman.
In a related development, Haliru Bashar, Abubakar Faruk, Almustapha Munnir, and Saifullahi Nata’ala allegedly obtained a nude video of a female acquaintance through a sex-related Snapchat group and threatened to expose her images for personal gain.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Hadejia, warns that, cybercrime remains a serious criminal offence with grave consequences and calls on parents and guardians to closely monitor the online activities of their wards and discourage involvement in fraudulent activities.
He further advises members of the public to exercise caution on social media, protect their personal information, avoid suspicious online interactions, and promptly report cases of cyber extortion or blackmail to the nearest police station.
REL /SANI DUTSINMA
