The Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, August 7, 2026, by its Public Relations Officer, DSP Orchia Peter Aondongu.

According to the police, three of the men — Younas Mohammad, 36; Ahmad Nunil, 38; and Aslam Muhammad, 46 — were arrested on August 4 at Adoka Motor Park in Otukpo Local Government Area.

Police said the three were allegedly attempting to board a vehicle to Adoka village when they were arrested.

The Command said the men told investigators that they were in Otukpo to market cosmetics and mobile gadgets. However, police said the products they reportedly claimed to be marketing were not found in their possession.

In a separate operation on August 5, police said two other Pakistani nationals — Juma Sharif, 30, and Muhammed Sharif, 25 — were arrested at a hotel in Ugbokolo.

According to the statement, the two men told police they were dealers in Android phones.

A search of their belongings reportedly led to the recovery of 11 Tecno Camon 50 Pro phones.

Police said further investigation resulted in the recovery of another 23 Tecno Camon 50 Pro phones and one Infinix Hot 60.

The recoveries bring the total number of mobile phones seized in connection with the two operations to 35.

The five men have since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Makurdi, where the police said further investigation is ongoing into their presence, activities and movements in Benue State.

The Command also said it suspects the phones could have been used as a decoy for other activities in rural areas. However, no further details were provided in the statement to establish what those alleged activities were.

Police further said the five men had limited ability to speak or understand English.

Commissioner of Police, CP Cletus C. N. Nwadioogbu, commended the officers involved in the operations and members of the public whose information contributed to the arrests.

The Commissioner urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious persons and activities to security agencies.

The Police Command said it would provide further updates as the investigation progresses.

The police statement does not establish whether the recovered phones were stolen, illegally imported, fraudulently obtained or connected to any specific criminal activity.

It also does not state what offence, if any, the five men have been formally charged with.

The men should therefore be treated as suspects under investigation and not as convicted offenders.

Benue Info-pedia will update this report if the Police Command, relevant immigration authorities, courts or other competent authorities provide additional evidence or clarification.

The case is significant because it involves foreign nationals arrested in two different locations in Benue within a short period and the recovery of a relatively large number of mobile phones.

However, the possession of multiple phones, by itself, does not establish criminal conduct. Investigators would need to establish the ownership, source, intended use and legal status of the devices before any criminal inference can responsibly be drawn.

The investigation should also clarify the immigration status, business activities and movements of the five individuals, as well as whether they have any connection with one another.