Special Task Force, STF, in Jos yesterday said it has apprehended 82 suspects mostly Cameroonian, Nigerien and Chadian within Rikkos community in Jos north local government area of Plateau State.

The STF Media and Information Officer, Captain Ikedichi Iweha told our reporter via phone that the suspects were arrested within Rikkos community, which has been under surveillance due to its high concentration of foreigners.

Captain Iweha said “we do not wake up and just go to an area to arrest people; the area has been under surveillance for a long time and It should have been a joint operation with the Nigerian Immigration Service but there were contending issues, so we had to move swiftly to operate alone because of the independence day celebration and Sallah celebrations.”

He said the 82 suspect were in the custody of the STF and well taken care of pending, when the Nigeria Immigration Service will come for them and carry out full documentations.

However, Babangida Musa whose relative, Umar Ahmad was among the suspects arrested said Ahmad is a Nigerian originally from Kaduna state but residing in Jos. 

He explained that “he is just 21 years and has a provision shop in Rikkos; he was arrested around 2:00 pm after he had closed his shop and was sleeping at home.”

He called on the law enforcement agents to release those, who are citizens of the country.