Benue Police Arrest Five Pakistani Nationals Over Suspected Clandestine Activity

The Benue State Police Command arrested five Pakistani nationals during intelligence-led operations on August 4 and 5, 2026. The arrests, conducted in the Otukpo and Ugbokolo areas, have triggered a security investigation into the presence of foreign nationals within the state's rural communities.

During the operations, police recovered 35 mobile phones from the suspects. On August 4, officers apprehended Younas Mohammad, 36, Ahmad Nunil, 38, and Aslam Muhammad, 46, at the Adoka Motor Park in the Otukpo Local Government Area while they were attempting to travel to Adoka village. A second operation on August 5 led to the arrest of Juma Sharif, 30, and Muhammed Sharif, 25, at a local hotel in Ugbokolo.

Investigation into Clandestine Activity

The operations were carried out under the direction of Commissioner of Police Cletus Nwadiogbu. Following their arrests, all five men were transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Makurdi, where investigators are scrutinizing the suspects' movements and the purpose of their stay within Benue State.

While the suspects claimed they were in the region to sell electronics and cosmetics, police officials expressed skepticism. DSP Orchia Peter Aondongu, the Command Spokesperson, stated that the possession of the mobile phones is strongly suspected to be a decoy for clandestine activities in rural areas. Aondongu noted that this suspicion is reinforced by the fact that the suspects hardly speak or understand English, which complicates their claims of conducting legitimate business in the region.

Security Implications

The discrepancy between the suspects' claimed business activities and their actual possessions has raised alarms for local authorities. Police are concerned that the use of electronics as a front may mask operations posing a potential security threat to rural communities. The recovery of a large number of devices in a non-commercial setting has led investigators to believe the phones serve a purpose beyond simple retail.

Next Steps

The SCID in Makurdi continues to lead the interrogation process to determine the exact nature of the suspects' activities and whether they are linked to any broader network. Authorities have not yet confirmed the specific nature of the suspected clandestine activities, and the investigation remains ongoing to establish if other foreign nationals are operating under similar decoys within the state. The command remains on high alert as they work to ensure that rural security is not compromised by foreign operatives using commercial fronts to hide their true intentions.