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Operatives of the Nigeria Police Cyber-crime Unit and INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja have arrested three suspects for cyber-related offences, including advance fee fraud, money laundering and romance scam.
In a statement issued on Sunday, police spokesperson, Frank Mbah disclosed that the suspects were arrested in Uromi, “following investigations into suspected fraudulent online procurement and supply of COVID-19 protective mask, received through the INTERPOL NCB Wiesbaden, Germany”.
Mbah revealed the identity of the suspects; 30-year-old Samson Inegbenesun, 32-year-old Blessed Junior and 36-year-old Muhammed Zakari, all of whom are male from Uromi, Edo State.
According to him, investigations revealed that one of the suspects, “Samson Inegbenosun is an internet fraudster and a member of a Turkey-based online scamming syndicate”.
“He supplies foreign and local bank accounts to receive fraudulent funds and use same as conduit to other feeder accounts,” he added.
“The Police have recovered from him, a building apartment worth N20,000,000.00, a Toyota RAV-4 2015 model worth N6,500,000.00 and a Toyota Matrix 2002 model valued at N2,000,000.00 which he procured with the proceeds of the crime.
“The second suspect, Blessed Junior, returned to Nigeria from Italy in February, 2020 but maintains close contacts and illicit dealings with his Italian associates.
“Investigations reveal that he has made over One Hundred and Twenty Million Naira (N120,000,000.00) from internet fraud and other cybercrime dealings.
“He also received the sum of 52,000 EUROs recently from his criminal associates in Italy as commission for his active involvement in an international cybercrime deal. He also owns a filling station established with the proceeds of the crime.
“Mohammed Zakari, an expert in internet fraud, identity theft and impersonation, falsely claims to be a British citizen.
“He also poses to be one Kelly Galk on online dating apps which he uses to carry out romance scams and to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, locally and internationally.
“Investigation reveals he has made millions of naira from his illicit cybercrime transactions since he joined the syndicate.
In a similar development, police operatives attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Ogun State Annex successfully rescued an American citizen who was confined in a Lagos hotel where she was held against her wish for over a year.
According to the Force spokesperson, the victim, a retired civil servant from Washington DC, USA, arrived Nigeria on 13th February, 2019 on a visit to her supposed Facebook lover, 34-year-old Chukwuebuka Kasi Obiaku, a native of Ikeduru LGA of Imo State.
The victim whose name was undisclosed, was however rescued by the IRT operatives, following information received from a patriotic and civic minded Nigerian in the Meran area of Lagos State.
The rescue of the American lady is coming on the heels of a similar case of abducted Philippino lady who was lured to Nigeria by her supposed lover whom she equally met on Facebook.
Investigations, according to Mbah, revealed that the suspect, Obiaku “is a graduate of Business Administration and Management and an internet fraudster who has defrauded many unsuspecting members of the public both locally and internationally”.
He said 34-year-old cyber-crime suspect deliberately lured the victim into the country under the pretext of love and deceitfully married her on 15th May, 2019.
“He subsequently held her captive in a hotel, extorted from her monies amounting to a total of 48,000-USD,” said the police spokesperson in the statement.
“He also forcefully collected and took control of her credit and debit cards as well as the operation of her bank accounts including the receipt of her monthly retirement benefits and allowances over the period of fifteen (15) months.
“Chukwuebuka also used the victim as a front to defraud her associates and other foreign personalities and companies.”
Mbah however noted that all the suspects will be charged to court on conclusion of investigation and prosecuted in line with the Cyber-crime Prevention/Prohibition Act, 2015.
