The Benue State Police Command has commenced a detailed investigation into the activities and movements of five Pakistani nationals arrested in separate operations in Otukpo and Ugbokolo, with 35 mobile phones recovered from the suspects.
The suspects were arrested during intelligence-led operations conducted by operatives of the command as the police moved to establish the circumstances surrounding their presence in the state.
Three of the suspects — Younas Mohammad, 36; Ahmad Nunil, 38; and Aslam Muhammad, 46 — were intercepted at Adoka Motor Park in Otukpo Local Government Area on August 4, 2026, while reportedly heading towards Adoka village.
In a separate operation at a local hotel in Ugbokolo, police arrested two other Pakistani nationals identified as Juma Sharif, 30, and Muhammed Sharif, 25.
The police said 11 Tecno Camon 50 Pro mobile phones were initially recovered from the two suspects at the hotel.
Further investigation subsequently led to the recovery of an additional 23 Tecno Camon 50 Pro phones and one Infinix Hot 60, bringing the total number of mobile phones recovered from the five suspects to 35.
The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu, disclosed the arrests and recoveries in a statement.
Nwadiogbu said the five suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Makurdi, for discreet and comprehensive investigation.
He said the investigation would establish the circumstances surrounding the suspects’ presence, activities and movements within the state.
The command said the investigation remained ongoing as detectives worked to determine the purpose of the large number of mobile phones recovered from the suspects and establish whether any criminal activity was connected to their movements.
The police assured residents that the command would continue to leverage intelligence-led operations to detect and prevent activities capable of threatening public safety in the state.
