The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 34-year-old man for allegedly defrauding a businessman of electronic appliances worth N3 million using a fake bank alert.
The police also recovered all the stolen items, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the suspect’s alleged accomplice, who is currently on the run.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, saying the arrest followed a complaint lodged by a 65-year-old businessman at the ‘B’ Division GRA Police Station in Bauchi.
According to the police, the businessman reported on October 30, 2026, that two men had allegedly deceived him after visiting his shop at Fire Service Junction, Bauchi, on October 26.
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The suspects, identified as Alex Bwacha, 34, from Gombe State, and Bako Akin from Jos, Plateau State, allegedly presented themselves as genuine customers and purchased electronic appliances worth N3 million.
The items included two Hisense televisions measuring 50 and 58 inches, a TCL 43-inch television, a Hisense sound bar, two Hisense air conditioners and an LCT home theatre.
Habib said the suspects allegedly sent a fake bank transaction alert to convince the trader that payment had been made before leaving with the goods.
Following the complaint, detectives launched an investigation, which led to the arrest of Bwacha and the recovery of some of the stolen appliances.
The investigation was subsequently extended to Jos, where the remaining items were recovered.
The police spokesperson confirmed that all the stolen goods had been recovered and that the arrested suspect remained in custody.
He added that the suspect would be charged in court after the investigation, while detectives were intensifying efforts to apprehend the fleeing accomplice.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, commended the officers for their swift response and successful recovery operation.
The command also warned traders against releasing goods based on bank alerts without confirming payments directly with their financial institutions.
It urged business owners to report suspicious transactions and other fraudulent activities to the nearest police station.
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