By Deborah Nnamdi
A salesgirl and three other accomplices have been arrested by the police for allegedly stealing electronics worth N29 million from a phone shop located in the Obasanjo Complex, Minna, Niger State.
The suspects — Sarah Ogbonna, Ruth Emmanuel, and Mercy Ogbonna — reportedly conspired to steal high-end phones and other items from the store, which were then sold at significantly reduced prices by one Nurudeen Musa.
According to the Niger State Police Command spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, the main suspect, Sarah Ogbonna, confessed to the theft, admitting she began siphoning goods from the shop in 2023. Though she claimed ignorance of the total value stolen, a sum of N700,000 was immediately recovered from her.
Further investigations revealed that Sarah transferred large sums to her elder sister, Mercy Ogbonna, to settle family expenses, including rent and groceries. She also rented and furnished an apartment for her boyfriend, Samuel Abiodun Bello, who is currently at large, and made regular payments to an undisclosed online contribution group.
Ruth Emmanuel, another salesgirl at the shop, allegedly took part in the theft before leaving the business, while Nurudeen Musa, 32, received and resold stolen phones at discounted prices over an extended period.
Police said the arrests were made on August 9, 2025, and several items were recovered from Sarah, including two power generators, a smart TV, a freezer, four wigs valued at N500,000 each, a gas cylinder, various shoes, clothes, bags, and furniture.
All suspects remain in custody as investigations continue.
