By correspondent in Minna
The police in Niger state have arrested a 14-member internet fraudster who specialize in defrauding their victims and invest the proceeds in a Boutique in Minna, the state capital.
The Reporters, an online publication, gathered the latest of such alleged is valued at about N4 million.
The gang which came into being since 2019 include two ladies who use Lexus jeep in carrying out their alleged nefarious activities unhindered.
Others are: Amos Sheriff aged 27, Omokhafe Nelson 28, Amos Suleiman 23, Uduafemhi John 23, Sado Anthony 26, Okumagbe Sheriff 24 and Chukwu Joshua 23 have been opareting with ease until when one of them was said to have stolen the cell phone belonging to his colleague in crime.
Peter Moses 25, Abdulrasheed Malik 24, Isah Lawal 24, Thomas Marvelous 19, Aigbona Gift female 24 all of Edo state, while Thomas Daniel 24 and Braise Williams, the two females 24 are both from Kogi state;are also listed as being among the list.
According to sources, trouble started for the gang when one of them, Thomas Daniel, visited the house of another member, Amos Sheriff and stole his android phone.
Sheriff, our correspondent further gathered, that Sheriff, who noted that his cell phone had missed, shortly after Daniel left his house, quickly raised alarm, demanding that Daniel must return the cell phone to avert trouble.
Daniel was said to have initially denied kniwledge of the missing phone and threatened to deal with Amos.
Hot arguments between the two over the phone,thus degenerating into exchange of banters,a development that prompted neighbours to invite the police and subsequently arrested the two.
The confessional statements made by the two partners in crime led to the arrest of the remaining members of the gang from different parts of Minna, and recovered some operational items from them, including a Lexus RS 350 jeep valued at N3.8 million.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), for the police command in the state ASP Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the story, explained that the alleged fraudsters were arrested, based on credible information received from members of the public.
He said the suspects were arrested around Farm Center area of Minna where Daniel allegedly stole an iphone belonging to one of the gang members, Amos Sheriff after a visit while an alarm was raised and subsequently arrested.
Abiodun said that “preliminary investigations reveal that both Omokhafe Nelson and Amos Sheriff jointly rented a 2-flat apartment at the rate of N2.5 million, where about twelve of the suspects live together and converge with their friends”.
“During interrogations, Sheriff and Nelson confessed to have engaged in internet fraud since 2019 and had embarked on coaching/training 9 other suspects for same exercise in the past two years.
“They also told us how they have realized over N12 million from different victims, through fake Bitcoin investment chat, bought a Lexus RS 350 at the cost of N3.8 million they use in some of their operations.”
The PPRO said items recovered from the suspects include; Three iPhones, one HP laptop, six Tecno phones, Eleven laptop chargers, Shisha box containing smoking gadgets.
