The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old man over alleged production of fake identity documents in Munya Local Government Area of the state, uncovering a large-scale forgery operation targeting residents seeking official identification.
The suspect, identified as Mohammed Aliyu Buba, a resident of Angwan Sarki in Sarkin Pawa, was apprehended by operatives of the Tactical Support Team of the Command following credible intelligence reports received from the area after weeks of surveillance.
Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, Wasiu Abiodun, said items recovered from the suspect included 105 suspected fake National Identification Number slips and 189 suspected fake voter cards, all believed to have been produced for sale to unsuspecting members of the public.
According to the police, the suspect allegedly confessed to producing the documents for a large number of individuals and collecting fees for the service, admitting that he charged N2,000 per NIN card and N1,000 per voter card from his clients.
The Niger State Police Commissioner, Abdullahi Adamu Elleman, who disclosed the breakthrough on Sunday during a press briefing in Minna, said the operation was carried out on July 28 at the suspect's residence in Angwan Sarki after weeks of surveillance and investigation by tactical operatives.
It was further gathered that within June 2026 alone, the syndicate reportedly raked in about N3 million from the illicit business, with the suspect admitting to producing fake documents for more than 1,000 unsuspecting residents across Munya and neighbouring communities in the state.
The police spokesperson disclosed that the suspect had targeted residents of Munya, Wushishi, and parts of the Federal Capital Territory including Kubwa and Bwari, collecting money from individuals desperate to obtain identity documents for various official purposes.
Investigations revealed that most of the fraudster's clients were workers of construction companies and other daily labourers seeking registration documents, with the suspect exploiting their urgent need for NIN and Permanent Voter Cards to carry out the fraudulent scheme.
The police said the arrest was part of a broader July crackdown in which 71 suspected criminals were apprehended and 10 AK-47 rifles recovered across Niger State, including the dismantling of a kidnap ring and an identity document forgery syndicate operating in multiple local government areas.
According to the Command, efforts are being intensified to identify and apprehend other individuals who may be connected to the activity, including collaborators in Minna metropolis and other locations linked to the distribution network of the fake documents.
The police commissioner urged members of the public to obtain identity documents only through approved and official channels of the National Identity Management Commission and the Independent National Electoral Commission, warning against patronizing roadside operators and unaccredited agents.
He added that the suspect remains in custody while investigation into the matter is ongoing, with the recovered 105 fake NIN slips and 189 voter cards secured as exhibits for prosecution at the conclusion of investigation.
Findings by DailyVista247 indicate that the syndicate's activities posed a serious threat to the integrity of the national identity database and the electoral process, particularly ahead of upcoming elections in the state where credible voter identification is crucial.
