Dismissed police officer arrested in Minna for impersonating security personnel, snatching motorcycles, and extorting residents

The Niger State Police Command has arrested a dismissed police officer, Haruna Haggai, for allegedly impersonating security personnel, snatching motorcycles, and extorting residents.

The spokesperson of the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, January 25, 2026 said the suspect impersonated as an EFCC official and police officer.

He also harassed and terrorised members of the public around Sauka-Kahuta area and its environs, extorting and robbing victims of their valuables. 

According to the PPRO, Haggai was apprehended on January 16, 2026 at his residence in Sauka-Kahuta, Minna, by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department and the Special Tactical Squad, following intelligence reports and a complaint from one of his victim. 

“In a continuous effort of the Police Command to eradicate or reduce urban crime, on 16th January, 2026 at about 10pm, Police operatives attached to FID STS arrested one Haruna Haggai 30yrs of Sauka-Kahuta Minna in his residence based on technical intelligence,” the statement read. 

“The said suspect was arrested based on a direct complaint that a victim was riding a Jincheng motorcycle along Kpakungu road on 14th January 2026, and the suspect ‘Haggai’ intercepted the motorcycle, impersonated as a policeman, intimidated the victim and forcefully collected the motorcycle from the rider, conveyed the rider round the town, while he finally extorted a sum of one hundred and fifty thousand naira from him around Garatu, tagging the rider as a fraudster, and abandoned him, before taking the motorcycle away.

“It could also be recalled that the same suspect who has been a dismissed policeman since 2017/2018 was arrested with one other for a similar crime in October 2025, when he forcefully collected a motorcycle (rubber rubber) around Shiroro road from a victim, impersonated as EFCC official and extorted a sum of four hundred thousand naira. 

“He was charged to court for prosecution and he was later released in court on the ground of ADR “alternative dispute resolution”, which is out of court settlement with the complainant.

“He was equally reported to be harassing and terrorising members of the public around Sauka-Kahuta area and its environs, extorting and robbing victims of their valuables. 

“The suspect is in custody undergoing investigation, the motorcycle was also recovered from him and he will be charged to court again for prosecution with the record of previous offenses.”