Agartala, Apr 13 (UNI) A local court on Sunday sent a Nigerian national to 14 days of jail custody. It allowed police to interrogate him in jail.
The Nigerian national was arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) at Belonia railway station in South Tripura a day ago.
Police said the accused has been identified as Francis Odoko (41), who was detained by BSF on Friday evening following his suspicious activity in the station premises. At least four mobile phones, including a keypad mobile phone, raised concerns over the nature of his intentions and activities in the area.
According to BSF, Odoko was initially brought to their camp for preliminary questioning, and later, he was taken to the Belonia Police Station. Police registered a case against him under various sections of the BNS and Indian Passport Act.
Police said Francis Odoko revealed during interrogation that he came to India in 2019. In 2021, he was arrested by Chandigarh Police in connection with a cybercrime and was subsequently imprisoned for three years in Chandigarh jail.
Odoko was released from jail in November 2024 and has since been residing in various Indian cities, including Delhi. He reportedly has a wife and children in Nigeria, and police got to know from one of his Nigerian acquaintances that he had recently traveled from Delhi to Agartala by train, arriving at Belonia railway station to cross into Bangladesh.
“He might be looking for a way to return to Nigeria via Bangladesh. However, we are exploring all other angles, including whether he had local contacts or accomplices helping him in this attempt,” said a senior police officer.
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