By Ngozi Uwujare
The Special Fraud Unit (SFU) Command, Ikoyi, Lagos, has rounded up over 150 suspected fraudsters and reprimanded them in Kirikiri Prisons.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Anthony Ogbizi, told Daily Sun that the command’s detectives arrested 20 suspected bank fraudsters who made attempts to defraud a bank of between N2billion and N3billion in 2015 and 2016. He said they attempted to withdraw the money without consent:
“They confessed to being specialists in cyber bank crimes and they have been charged to court and being reprimanded in Kirikiri Prisons in Lagos.
“Our Diplomatic Unit has been in synergy and cooperative with heads of foreign embassies to rid the society of visa racketeers, forged and fake document vendors.
“The unit arrested over 75 suspects for offences like conspiracy, forgery and obtaining money under fake pretenses. The officer in charge of the section, Audu Lawal, with his officers tracked down some criminals who were involved in the forging of documents in different embassies.
“The cases reported by the American, British, Canadian and Italian embassies were handled professionally which recorded a high percentage of forged and fake applications from prospective applicants who are mostly Nigerians.
“Some of the suspects are facing trials at the Federal High Court.
“Nobody is appointed to act as agent to the embassies. Those who present themselves as agents for visa procurement are nothing but visa racketeers and vendors. Their activities amount to conspiracy, forgery and obtaining money under false pretense. Nigerians should desist from patronizing them.
“I have warned his officers to shun corruption and that bail is free. This is what the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, has been campaigning in the force that, ‘change starts with me.’ We should also imbibe the attitude of community policing. Police should have good relationship with the public.
“There is no suspect being detained illegally in the cell more than 24hours. The IGP has given directives to work with human rights activists together in the ambit of law and in police law procedure.
“The command has trained and re-trained its officers on how to apply professional skills when they are conducting investigations or when they are carrying out their duties.
“In the past year, 25 officers went for training and re-training workshop conducted by Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).
“We also arrested over 20 suspected baby factory operators in Lagos. They were arrested on the case of obtaining money based on false pretense and were reported by the America embassy. They are being prosecuted by the Federal High Court, Ikoyi.”
Ogbizi has given the SFU a new lift with new structures. The unit has a 28-room office: “I am a legacy behind for others to follow.”
