Niger police arrest three salesgirls over N29m theft
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Three salesgirls have landed in the police net over the theft of N29m worth of goods in an electronics phone in Obasanjo Complex, Minna, Niger State.
The suspects, Sarah Ogbonna, Ruth Emmanuel, and Mercy Ogbonna, were allegedly involved in the theft of the goods, including phones, and giving them to Nurudeen Musa, who sold them at giveaway prices.
The main suspect, Sarah Ogbonna, was alleged to have stolen the phones worth N29m and used part of the money to solve her family challenges as well as make a monetary contribution scheme. She was also alleged to have rented an apartment for her boyfriend.
The spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday in which he said all the suspects were under investigation.
“A report was received at the ‘A’ Division, Minna, from a shop owner at the Obasanjo Complex, Minna, who deals in phones. The report indicated that his salesgirl, one Sarah Ogbonna, 23 years old, of Okada Road, Minna, was suspected of having been stealing items/phones from his shop entrusted to her.
“He alleged that she had stolen items worth over N29m from the shop.
“Immediately the report was received, police operatives of the Division arrested the said Sarah, and during interrogation, she confessed to the allegation, stating that she had been working in the shop since 2023 and that she wouldn’t know if what she had taken so far could amount to N29m.
Niger police arrest three salesgirls over N29m theft
Spokesman, Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun. Credit: Police
Three salesgirls have landed in the police net over the theft of N29m worth of goods in an electronics phone in Obasanjo Complex, Minna, Niger State.
The suspects, Sarah Ogbonna, Ruth Emmanuel, and Mercy Ogbonna, were allegedly involved in the theft of the goods, including phones, and giving them to Nurudeen Musa, who sold them at giveaway prices.
The main suspect, Sarah Ogbonna, was alleged to have stolen the phones worth N29m and used part of the money to solve her family challenges as well as make a monetary contribution scheme. She was also alleged to have rented an apartment for her boyfriend.
The spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday in which he said all the suspects were under investigation.
“A report was received at the ‘A’ Division, Minna, from a shop owner at the Obasanjo Complex, Minna, who deals in phones. The report indicated that his salesgirl, one Sarah Ogbonna, 23 years old, of Okada Road, Minna, was suspected of having been stealing items/phones from his shop entrusted to her.
“He alleged that she had stolen items worth over N29m from the shop.
“Immediately the report was received, police operatives of the Division arrested the said Sarah, and during interrogation, she confessed to the allegation, stating that she had been working in the shop since 2023 and that she wouldn’t know if what she had taken so far could amount to N29m.
“But a sum of N700,000 was immediately recovered from her. Her statement led to the arrest of three other accomplices on 9th August, 2025, who are: Ruth Omor Emmanuel, 23 years of Tunga, Minna; Mercy Ogbonna, 30 years of Okada Road and Nurudeen Musa, 32 years of Obasanjo Complex, Minna.”
The statement noted that further investigation revealed that Sarah made multiple transfers of money to her elder sister, Mercy Ogbonna, who sorts family challenges on her behalf, such as payment of house rent, purchase of food items and other needs.
“Ruth Emmanuel was also a salesgirl in the shop, and she allegedly participated in some of the acts before she left, while Nurudeen Musa usually collects expensive phones from Sarah and sells the phones at giveaway prices, rendering short payments for a long period of time.
“It was also revealed that Sarah rented and furnished an apartment at the Sauka-Kauta area of Minna for her boyfriend, one Samuel Abiodun Bello, currently at large, and she also transferred some money to him.
“She equally claimed that she engaged in a weekly financial contribution of N150,000 with a yet-to-be-identified online group.
“However, all suspects are under investigation, and the following items were recovered from Sarah: two power generators, one smart TV, and one freezer. Others are four wigs of N500,000 each, one gas cylinder, shoes, canvas, bags, and clothes, and house furniture etc,” Abiodun stated.
