A 62-year-old man, Mamuda Hassan of Anchor Zaria, Kaduna State, has been arrested in Nasarawa State over alleged involvement in circulating counterfeit N1,000 notes. The arrest was made by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Lafia, following credible intelligence, police spokesperson SP Rahman Nansel said in a statement on Saturday. Hassan was taken into custody at the Lafia cattle market during the suspected transaction.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Hassan confessed to obtaining the fake notes from an accomplice based in Mararaba Akunza, Lafia, who remains at large. Police are currently pursuing the second suspect. During interrogation, Hassan reportedly admitted to trading in the counterfeit currency.
State Commissioner of Police Shetima Mohammed urged traders, POS operators, fuel station attendants and motor park workers to remain alert during transactions. He listed signs of fake notes as poor print quality, smaller size, duplicated serial numbers and missing security features. Anyone found with suspected counterfeit money should be reported to the nearest police station, the commissioner added. Hassan will be charged in court after investigations conclude.
Mamuda Hassan, at 62, is accused of peddling fake N1,000 notes in a cattle market, yet the police statement reveals no details on how such an operation evaded detection for so long. The alleged supplier remains free in Mararaba Akunza, raising questions about the effectiveness of local surveillance. If counterfeit notes are circulating openly in major markets, ordinary traders in Lafia are the ones most exposed to financial risk. The police warning to stay vigilant does little to address the gap in enforcement that allowed this arrest to be the first known intervention.
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