Oyo State Police Command has dismantled a suspected impersonation and document forgery syndicate in Ibadan, the state capital.
The command also nabbed 10 suspects and recovered a cache of fake official materials used to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
The breakthrough, according to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ayanlade Olayinka, followed actionable intelligence received on April 9, which exposed the activities of the group operating from a hideout in the Ogunpa area of the city.
The statement added that the operatives of the Command Monitoring Unit acted swiftly, through the launch of a coordinated raid that led to the arrest of the suspects.
Those apprehended include Mumini Akanbi, 62; Quadri Muhammed, 31; Salami Tajudeen, 50; Oladipupo Hammed, 45; Oladipupo Taiwo, 40; Olorunosebi Kazeem, 42; Fatai Akanni, 54; Alamu Kazeem, 60; Olalekan Afeez, 42; and Alex Olanrewaju, 64.
Police investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly specialised in forging official documents, stamps and certificates belonging to government agencies, security outfits, financial institutions and private organisations.
Search warrants executed at their operational bases led to the recovery of several incriminating exhibits, including a fake Police Character Certificate, forged Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID) stamps, Ogun State CID Eleweran Office stamp, Iyaganku Area Command stamp, multiple Divisional Police Officers’ office stamps, as well as Oyo State Government stamps from various ministries and departments.
Also recovered were stamps of different commercial banks and several private organisations, believed to have been used to produce fraudulent documents for impersonation and other criminal purposes.
Preliminary findings indicated that the suspects are part of a well-organised syndicate engaged in the production and use of forged instruments.
Police said all the suspects have confessed to their involvement and are currently assisting investigators with useful information.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, commended the operatives for their professionalism and swift response, while also commending members of the public for providing timely and credible intelligence that led to the arrests.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with relevant information.
The police further warned members of the public to follow due process when obtaining official documents and avoid patronising unauthorised agents, stressing that such shortcuts often expose individuals to fraud and legal consequences.
The command said investigations were ongoing and assured that the suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of the probe.
