Crime
PHOTOS: Salesgirl allegedly steals phones, items worth N29m from employer’s shop, rents and furnishes apartment for her boyfriend in Minna
The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 23-year-old salesgirl for allegedly stealing phones and other items worth over N29m from her employer’s shop in Minna.
The spokesperson of the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, August 18, 2025 said the suspect, Sarah Ogbonna, also rented and furnished an apartment for her boyfriend, Samuel Abiodun Bello, with money stolen from her employer.
According to the PPRO, the suspect made multiple transfers of money to her elder sister, Mercy Ogbonna who sorts family challenges on her behalf.
Further investigation led to the arrest of three other suspects, including a former salesgirl, Ruth Omor Emmanuel, who allegedly participated in some of the acts before she quit.
Abiodun revealed that one of the suspects, Nurudeen Musa, collected expensive phones from Sarah and sold them at giveaway prices.
The sum of 700,000, two power generators, one smart TV, one freezer, four wigs worth N500,000 each, clothes, house furniture and other items were recovered from Sarah.
“In continuation of the Police Command’s efforts in fighting crime and criminality, the following recent incidents occurred; on 8th August, 2025 at about 12pm, a report was received at ‘A’ Div Minna from a shop owner at Obasanjo Complex, Minna who deals in phone business,” the statement read.
“The report indicated that his salesgirl; one Sarah Ogbonna 23yrs of Okada road Minna, was suspected to have been stealing items/phones from his shop entrusted to her. He alleged that she had stolen items worth over twenty-nine million naira from the shop.
“Immediately the report was received, Police operatives of the Div arrested the said Sarah, and during interrogation, she confessed to the allegation, stating that she had been working in the shop since 2023 and she wouldn’t know if what she had taken so far could amount to twenty-nine million naira, but a sum of seven hundred thousand naira was immediately recovered from her.
“Her statement led to the arrest of three other accomplices on 9th August, 2025 who are; Ruth Omor Emmanuel 23yrs of Tunga, Minna, Mercy Ogbonna 30yrs of Okada road and Nurudeen Musa 32yrs of Obasanjo Complex, Minna.
“Further investigation revealed that Sarah made multiple transfers of money to her senior sister Mercy Ogbonna who sorts family challenges on her behalf such as payment of house rents, purchase of food items and other needs for the families.
“Ruth Emmanuel was also a salesgirl in the shop, and she allegedly participated in some of the acts before she left, while Nurudeen Musa usually collects expensive phones from Sarah and sells the phones at giveaway prices, rendering short payments for a long period of time.
“It was also revealed that Sarah rented and furnished an apartment at Sauka-Kauta area of Minna for her boyfriend; one Samuel Abiodun Bello currently at large, and she also transferred some money to him.
“She equally claimed that she engaged in a weekly financial contribution of one hundred and fifty thousand naira with a yet to be identified online group.
“However, all suspects are under investigation and the following items were recovered from Sarah, two power generators, one smart TV, one Freezer, four wigs of five hundred thousand naira each, one gas cylinder, shoes, canvas, bags, and clothes, house furniture etc.”
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Crime
PHOTOS: 14 children ‘trafficked from Adamawa and sold for N800,000 each in Anambra’ are rescued
14 children trafficked from Adamawa State and sold in Anambra State for amounts ranging from N800,000 to N1.7 million have been rescued by Adamawa State Government.
On Wednesday, August 20, the Adamawa State government reunited the rescued children with their parents at a ceremony in Yola, the Adamawa state capital.
Speaking during the ceremony, Kaletapwa George Farauta, Adamawa deputy governor, said after numerous reports of missing children in July, the government set up a joint operation with security agencies to unravel the situation.
Farauta said the operation led to the arrest of one Ngozi Abdulwahab, a suspected trafficking kingpin, who operates a small provision shop in Jambutu Ward, Yola north LGA.
The deputy governor said the suspect reportedly used snacks and gifts to lure children between the ages of 4-9 before trafficking them to Anambra.
14 children ?trafficked from Adamawa and sold for N800,000 each in Anambra? are rescued
“It is a mixed feeling of sadness and joy, it is sad that today, Adamawa is on the map of an unfortunate monster ravaging the nation, the monster of child trafficking,” she said.
“This is a story we often hear happening far away, but unfortunately, it has caught up with us.
“This notorious trafficker has perfected the art of trafficking minors aged four to nine years from various communities in Adamawa to the south-eastern region of Nigeria.
“There, she sold the victims for paltry sums ranging from N800,000 to N1.7 million per child.
“She operated from a small provision shop which she owned at Jambutu ward, Yola-North LGA, where she used snacks and gifts to lure unsuspecting children.
“Today, we have rescued 14 children and rehabilitated them.”
The deputy governor said the suspects would be prosecuted under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015, Adamawa Child Protection Law (2008), the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2021, and the Penal Code of the state.
She added that the family of each rescued child would receive N100,000, food, and non-food items.
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The Nigerian Immigration Service on Thursday, August 21, deported 50 additional foreign nationals convicted and sentenced for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud by the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The convicted foreigners were part of the 192 Chinese and Philippine nationals arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2024.
The repatriated foreign nationals include 50 Chinese and one Tunisian. This brings the total of deported convicts to 102 in the ongoing exercise that commenced on Friday, August 15, 2025.
The anti-graft agency had claimed that before the raid, the cybercrime syndicate had a large-scale operation involving cyber fraud and Ponzi schemes.
The charges against the convicts included using false identities online to defraud victims, training Genting International Co. Limited employees in fraudulent practices, and other offences under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006.
The anti-graft agency had stated that these charges reflect serious crimes aimed at undermining Nigeria’s security and financial integrity through cybercrime and fraud.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede has described the convictions and deportations as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s fight against cybercrime and financial fraud.
He reiterated the Commission’s commitment to intensifying investigations, recovering looted funds, and restoring national dignity in line with President Bola Tinubu’s anti-corruption agenda.
See more photos of the ex-convicts being deported below
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PHOTOS: 14 children ‘trafficked from Adamawa and sold for N800,000 each in Anambra’ are rescued
PHOTOS: Nigeria deports 51 foreigners jailed for cyberterrorism and internet fraud
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