The Benue State Police Command has arrested five Pakistani nationals in separate operations in Otukpo and Ugbokolo, recovering 35 mobile phones from two of the suspects.

The arrests were carried out on August 4 and 5 following what the command described as credible intelligence concerning the activities and movements of the foreigners in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, disclosed this in a statement, saying three of the suspects were apprehended at Adoka Motor Park in Otukpo Local Government Area on August 4.

The suspects were identified as Younas Mohammad, 36; Ahmad Nunil, 38; and Aslam Muhammad, 46.

Aondongu said the trio was intercepted while attempting to board a vehicle heading to Adoka village.

According to him, the suspects told the police during preliminary questioning that they had travelled to Otukpo to market cosmetics and mobile gadgets.

The police spokesperson, however, said none of the products mentioned by the suspects was found in their possession, raising questions about their stated purpose and movements in the area.

In a separate operation the following day, two other Pakistani nationals, Juma Sharif, 30, and Muhammed Sharif, 25, were arrested at a hotel in Ugbokolo.

Aondongu said the two men claimed to be dealers in Android phones, but police recovered 11 Tecno Camon 50 Pro phones during a search of their belongings.

Further operational follow-up, he said, resulted in the recovery of 23 additional Tecno Camon 50 Pro devices and one Infinix Hot 60, bringing the total number of recovered phones to 35.

The five suspects have since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Makurdi, where police said detailed investigations are underway to determine the circumstances surrounding their presence and activities in Benue.

The command said it suspected that the possession of the phones could be connected to “clandestine activities in the rural areas of the state,” adding that the suspects had limited ability to speak or understand English.

The police said the operations formed part of its intelligence-led policing efforts to detect potential security threats, prevent crime and protect lives and property across Benue.

The Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwadiogbu, commended the officers involved and members of the public whose information contributed to the arrests.

Nwadiogbu urged residents to remain alert and promptly report suspicious persons, movements and activities to the police, assuring that the command would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to maintain peace and security in the state.