- Safiu Kehinde
—Syndicate Arrested
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has nabbed four-man syndicates alleged of impersonating the Commission’s chairman, Ola Olukoyede, in $1 million fraudulent deal.
One of the members of the syndicate had spoken and presented himself as the Chairman of the EFCC.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on the Commission’s official X handle earlier today.
According to the statement, the fraudsters: Ojobo Joshua, Aliyu Hashim, Thomas Oduh and Paul Ogiji were arrested on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at Gimbiya Street, Garki and Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja.
They allegedly contacted a former Managing Director of the Nigeria Port Authority, Mohammed Bello-Koko, accusing him of involvement in some investigative discoveries by the Commission.
They demanded for $1 million, under the false pretence of the EFCC Chairman’s directive, to give the Ex-NPA boss a soft landing.
Unknown to them, their fraudulent activities had reached EFCC operatives who played along and apprehended them in the process.
The statement read in part, “Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested a four-man syndicate of alleged fraudsters impersonating and blackmailing the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Ola Olukoyede in a $1million deal.
“The alleged fraudsters contacted a former Managing Director of the Nigeria Port Authority, NPA, Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko claiming his indictment in some phony investigative activities of the EFCC during his tenure as the MD of NPA.
“They alleged that Olukoyede was ready to give him a soft landing for $1million or risk being arrested and prosecuted.
“On receipt of intelligence regarding the moves of the impersonators, operatives of the Commission were deployed to play along with the alleged fraudsters. They were successfully arrested and in custody of the Commission.
“They would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.”