Five female illegal immigrants have been arrested for theft along Lokoja-Abuja federal highway by the Joint Border Patrol Team.
The illegal immigrants are 38-year-old Fatimah Mohammad from Niger Republic, 29-year-old Judith Koffi from Ghana and 30-year-old Fanta Camara from Mali.
Others are 37-year-old Fadima Traore from Chad and 39-year-old Fatimata Camara from Benin Republic.
They were arrested alongside their Nigerian driver, one Mufutau Woye.
Briefing newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara state, the coordinator, Joint Border Patrol Team, North Central zone, Comptroller Olugboyega Peters disclosed that the illegal immigrants were arrested with 15 bundles and 18 pieces of wrappers concealed in the bonnet and other components of the vehicle.
The cloths were said to be stolen from Kogi state and valued at two hundred and fifty five thousand naira.
“They were found to be illegal immigrants without any means of identification. Investigation further revealed that they operate as a syndicate comprising two groups, they specialise in duping and stealing women wrappers, and most times they use charm to perpetrate their crimes.
“One group operates in Kaduna and the other in Kano axis, prominently on big shops selling women wrapper as their targets. The two groups came into the country through Katsina and Seme illegal routes.
“The driver of their Mazda 626 is Mufutau Woye (34), a Nigerian from Kwara State but resides in Kubwa FCT Abuja as a commercial driver. He was only hired to transport them to and from Kogi State.
“Fatimata Camara, Fatima Mohammadu and Fanta Camara confessed to stealing 15 bundles of the wrappers worth N255, 000 in Kogi State.
“The suspects will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation,” he said.
