The Kano State Police Command has dismantled a fraud syndicate that allegedly impersonated spirits, locally referred to as “Aljannu,” to defraud unsuspecting victims through deceptive phone calls.
According to a press release issued by the Command’s spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, on Wednesday, the suspects, Ahmad Ibrahim, 24, and Isma’il Muhammad, 22, both residents of Dandinshe Quarters in Dala Local Government Area, were arrested on April 10, 2026, following credible intelligence by operatives attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad.
Providing details of their operations, the police noted that “the suspects admitted to using multiple GSM numbers to contact victims while disguising their voices with voice modulation to sound like spirits.” The statement added that the suspects would “instruct victims to recite certain incantations while instilling fear and issuing threats of misfortune for non-compliance.”
The Command further disclosed that the suspects confessed to defrauding over 500 victims through the scheme, collecting money and valuables under false spiritual pretences. “Twenty-eight (28) GSM SIM cards used in perpetrating the crime were recovered from their possession,” the statement added.
The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended the operatives for their swift action, warning that “criminal elements are devising new tactics to exploit the beliefs and fears of citizens for pecuniary gain.”
The police also issued a public advisory, cautioning residents to be wary of unsolicited calls. “No genuine spirit or religious injunction will request money through phone calls or threaten misfortune for non-payment,” the statement emphasized.
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