The Kano State Police Command, have uncovered and dismantled a fraud scheme in which suspects allegedly impersonated spirits, popularly known as “Aljannu,” to defraud hundreds of residents in the state.
The Command’s spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said the breakthrough followed credible intelligence on suspicious phone calls traced to two young men operating within Kano metropolis.
In a statement on Wednesday, he said the suspects, Ahmad Ibrahim, 24, and Isma’il Muhammad, 22, were arrested on April 10, 2026, in Dandinshe Quarters, Dala Local Government Area of the municipality.
Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad acted swiftly on the information, tracking the suspects’ activities before apprehending them, he said.
“Our operatives, acting on credible intelligence, arrested the suspects who were involved in making deceptive calls to unsuspecting members of the public,” he added.
He explained that investigations revealed the suspects used multiple GSM numbers and voice modulation techniques to disguise their identities.
“They altered their voices to sound like spirits and instilled fear in their victims, often directing them to recite incantations,” Kiyawa stated.
The police said the suspects relied on threats of misfortune to manipulate their targets into compliance.
“They would threaten victims with spiritual consequences if they failed to obey or send money, thereby creating panic and confusion,” he added.
He disclosed that the suspects confessed to defrauding more than 500 victims through the scheme.
“They admitted to obtaining money and valuables from over 500 innocent citizens using this fraudulent method,” he said.
During the operation, police recovered 28 SIM cards believed to have been used in carrying out the scam.
The spokesperson noted that investigations are ongoing to uncover the full network and arrest other accomplices still at large.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended the operatives for their professionalism and warned residents to be cautious. “Criminals are evolving new tactics to exploit people’s beliefs and fears.