The operatives of the Nigerian Police Force, Nasarawa State Command, have detained a 62-year-old man for alleged involvement in the circulation of counterfeit currency in the state.
This was contained in a statement signed by the command’s spokesperson, SP Rahman Nansel, and obtained by our correspondent in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
According to SP Nansel, the suspect, Mamuda Hassan, a resident of Anchor Zaria in Kaduna State, was arrested by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Lafia, based on credible intelligence.
The command spokesperson, however, revealed that preliminary investigation indicated that the suspect was apprehended at the Lafia cattle market while allegedly trading in fake N1,000 denomination notes.
The statement, which reads in part, added that, “During interrogation, the suspect confessed that the counterfeit notes were supplied to him by an accomplice residing in Mararaba Akunza, Lafia. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the said accomplice, who is currently at large.”
SP Nansel, therefore, explained that the state Commissioner of Police, Shetima Mohammed, urged members of the public to remain vigilant in their daily transactions.
He called on traders, small business owners, fuel station attendants, Point of Sale (POS) operators, and motor park workers to be cautious and watch out for signs of counterfeit currency.
According to him, such signs include poor print quality, smaller note size, duplicated serial numbers, and absence of visible security features.
He further quoted the CP as calling on residents to promptly report anyone found in possession of, or attempting to circulate, suspected fake currency to the nearest police station.
He stated that the suspect would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations to serve as a deterrent to others.
By Umar Muhammed
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