A 50-year-old man, Aminu Abdullahi, has been arrested in Kano for allegedly using fake bank alerts to defraud traders and posing as a relative of popular Islamic cleric Sheikh Dr. Abdallah Usman Gadon Kaya.
Abdullahi, a resident of Kofar Nassarawa Quarters, was apprehended after purchasing two cartons of spaghetti valued at N35,000 with a fraudulent alert from a trader in Gwale, according to the Kano Police Command spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa.
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Kiyawa explained, “On November 22, 2024, police received a report from one Sunusi Aminu of Gwale Quarters that the suspect presented himself as a younger brother to Sheikh Dr. Abdallah Gadon Kaya, collected goods worth N35,000, and manipulated a fake bank alert on his phone.”
He continued, “The shop owner, trusting the suspect due to his claim of being a relative of the cleric, allowed him to leave without verifying the transaction. Upon checking his account balance later, he discovered no payment had been made.”
Following the report, Kano’s Commissioner of Police, CP Salman Dogo Garba, ordered an investigation team led by SP Abdulrahim Adamu, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Gwale Division, to act. “The team swiftly arrested the suspect, who later confessed to neither being a relative of the Sheikh nor making the payment,” Kiyawa added.
The suspect admitted to exploiting his resemblance to Sheikh Dr. Gadon Kaya to defraud traders. “He has confessed to fraudulently obtaining goods worth over N2 million from various traders using the same method,” Kiyawa disclosed.
So far, 20 complaints have been lodged against Abdullahi, with victims accusing him of using fake alerts and deceit to steal their valuables.
The case has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation, and the suspect will be charged to court upon completion of the process.
Kano residents who recognize Abdullahi or have complaints against him are encouraged to visit the Kano Police Command Headquarters or contact the investigation team via 08166999948.
CP Salman Garba expressed gratitude to the residents for their cooperation and urged them to stay vigilant against impostors and report suspicious activities.
