By Dare Akogun
As part of the efforts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to curb the rising trend of internet related fraud in the country, the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Commission has again extended its dragnet to Kogi State which led to the arrest of 18 suspected fraudsters in Lokoja the State Capital.
The arrest is the second of such operation in the State within the last two months.
It would be recalled that, operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC, which covers Kwara, Ekiti and Kogi States had recently in June 2022 arrested 19 suspected fraudsters at different locations in Lokoja.
The latest arrest, which was made on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 followed actionable intelligence and hours of surveillance by the anti-graft operatives to smoke out the suspected fraudsters of their hideouts.
Among the suspects are two siblings – Bala Caleb Abdulkarim and Ayuba Bala. Others are Adebayo Olubunmi, Yusuf Salawu, Victor Yakubu, Victor Udeh, Abutu Francis, Moses Akeji, Aiyegbe ThankGod, Eniola Adeniji, Abraham Ayodele, Julius Omowale, Samuel Onojah, Saka Usman Ojo, Isaac Emmanuel, Yusuf Mohammed, Ibrahim Musa and Omaonu Ojochenemi Victor.
Preliminary investigations according to the statement indicated that the suspects operate as a syndicate to scam unsuspecting victims.
The suspects who had incriminating items in their possession including five different brands of exotic cars, phones and laptops have volunteered useful statements to the Commission and would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigations.
