In a significant breakthrough against cybercrime, the Bauchi State Police Command has apprehended one Umar Yau a.k.a. Snake, who is reportedly notorious for online fraud and identity thief.
Yau, a 25-year-old resident of the Yelwan Makaranta area of Bauchi of Bauchi metropolis was arrested following a meticulous, technology-driven investigation initiated in response to a petition by a victim of his alleged fraudulent schemes.
An online businesswoman, Mrs. Fatimah Faiz Ali Bawahab, had submitted a formal complaint to the police, alleging that a Facebook user had impersonated her, using her name and photographs to operate fraudulent schemes that targeted unsuspecting victims.
Spokesperson of Bauchi Police Command, CSP Ahmed Wakil, while confirming the arrest on Friday, said the suspect created a fake Facebook account with the username “Amizeebaby Muhd,” through which he advertised non-existent online businesses and lured victims into making payments to fraudulent bank accounts.
CSP Wakil explained that one such incident was reported in March 2022, when a man identified as Nafiu Muhd contacted Mrs. Bawahab after being duped by the suspect.
Muhd had transferred money to a bank account registered under the name Hansatu Yau, only to be blocked by the account operator afterward.
Wakil said more reports emerged in early 2023, it became evident that someone was impersonating Mrs. Bawahab online, deceiving victims and collecting funds using bank accounts tied to the names Hansatu Yau, Umar Yau, and other payment platforms.
He PPRO said the victims only realised the fraud after reaching out to the real Mrs. Bawahab for confirmation.
Upon receiving the petition, the Commissioner of Police for Bauchi Command, Sani Aliyu, ordered the CP Monitoring Unit to launch a thorough and discreet investigation.
Employing advanced digital forensic techniques, investigators successfully traced the fraudulent activities to Yau leading to his arrest on June 5, 2025.
During the arrest, police recovered incriminating evidence, including nine (9) ATM cards from various financial institutions; a completed FCMB account opening form fraudulently filled out using his sister, Maryam Yau’s identity and academic document; two NIN plastic cards and three voter’s cards bearing his detail; three unused SIM card; one ZTE Universal Mobile 4G MiFi device; one Infinix Smart 9 smartphone box
Wakil said Yau confessed to a five-year-long involvement in online fraud during interrogation.
He admitted to defrauding approximately 40 individuals, including through cryptocurrency schemes and deceptive online marketing campaigns.
The Commissioner of Police commended the efforts of the detectives and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to tackling cybercrime in the state.
He sternly warned that those engaging in digital fraud and impersonation will face the full weight of the law.
“The Bauchi State Police Command will continue to apply advanced investigative tools and strategies to bring cybercriminals to justice,” said the Commissioner.
Wakil said the Command has transferred the suspect and relevant case files to the Kano State Police Command for further investigation and potential prosecution.
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