From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The long arm of the law has caught up with a syndicate who posed as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to defraud unsuspecting residents in Delta State of huge sums of money.
The suspects were recently arrested at a hotel in Asaba by operatives of the Delta State Police Command Decoy Squad in a sting operation.
The suspects include 29-year old Prince Allison believed to be the leader of the syndicate claiming to be EFCC contract staff in Port Harcourt; 29-year old George Chisom Onyeweagu residing in Owerri and operates the POS that they use to forcefully withdraw money from their victims’ account.
Others are 40-year old Duke Okoro who resides in Asaba; 23-year old Joseph Osinachi who resides in Lagos; and 32-year old Onyocha Stanley who resides in Owerri
Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Bright Edafe who confirmed the arrest in a statement issued on Friday, said the suspects were trailed to the hotel, believed to be their hideout, after series of complaints from members of the public, especially youths.
Edafe said the suspects admitted to have robbed different victims from various parts of the state, adding that they sometimes lodged their victims in a hotel for days until they succeed in extorting huge sums of money from them or force them to transfer money into their mobile POS.
“Their white operational Hummer bus, two locally manufactured EFCC jackets, a POS machine and eight mobile phones were recovered from them.
“Six of their victims have identified them as the syndicate who broke into their houses under the guise of being EFCC Operatives. Investigation is on-going,” he stated.
The suspects are believed to be responsible for series of forceful break into houses at night, while posing as EFCC operatives, forcefully arresting their victims and extorting huge sums of money from them.
Their unwholesome activities might have led to the #Endefcc protest by youths in Ughelli few months ago when over 13 trucks were razed and properties destroyed.
In their latest escapade before the arrest, the suspects allegedly scaled the fence of the house of their victim, broke into his apartment and took him away in a white Toyota Hiace bus. They abandoned the victim at the Head Bridge in Asaba after allegedly collecting his phones and other valuables worth N3.7 million, made cash transfer of N2.5 million and told him that they will come for him again. Edafe sad five other victims also reported to the command and made statements of how they were robbed of about N15 million.
