Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force have rescued an American citizen who was confined in a Lagos hotel, where she was held against her wish for over a year. This is contained in a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba.
The victim, whose name withheld, is from Washington DC, United States of America and is a retired civil servant in the U.S. came into on 13th February, 2019 on a visit to one Chukwuebuka Kasi Obiaku, 34years old, a native of Ikeduru LGA of Imo State whom she met on Facebook.
The Police explained that
‘She was however rescued by Police operatives attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Ogun State Annex following information received from a patriotic and Civic minded Nigerian in the Meran area of Lagos State.
The rescue of the American is coming three weeks after a criminal suspect by name Chukwudi Odo was paraded by the Police in Abuja for allegedly luring a 40 year old Irene Torento Panas to Nigeria on a visit that was supposed to last 10 days. But Odo refused to allow the Filipino woman return and held her against her will, with the aim of sexually abusing and extorting money from her. she equally met on Odo on Facebook.
According to police, Investigations reveal that the suspect, Chukwuebuka Kasi Obiaku is a graduate of Business Administration and Management and an internet fraudster who has defrauded many unsuspecting members of the public both locally and internationally.
Chukwuebuka deliberately lured the victim into the country under the pretext of love and deceitfully married her on 15th May, 2019. He subsequently held her captive in a hotel, extorted from her monies amounting to a total of 48,000-USD.
He was said to have forcefully collected and took control of her credit and debit cards as well as the operation of her bank accounts including the receipt of her monthly retirement benefits and allowances over the period of fifteen months. Chukwuebuka also used the victim as a front to defraud her associates and other foreign personalities and companies.
Similarly, operatives of the Nigeria Police Cyber-crime Unit, INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abujahave arrested three suspects; Samson Inegbenesun 30years, Blessed Junior 32years and Muhammed Zakari 36years, all male from Uromi in Edo State, for cyber-related offences including advance fee fraud, money laundering and romance scam.
“ The suspects were arrested in Uromi, following investigations into suspected fraudulent online procurement and supply of COVID-19 protective mask, received through the INTERPOL NCB Wiesbaden, Germany
Investigations reveal that Samson Inegbenosun is an internet fraudster and a member of a Turkey-based online scamming syndicate. He supplies foreign and local bank accounts to receive fraudulent funds and use same as conduit to other feeder accounts. Meanwhile, the Police have recovered from him, a building apartment worth N20,000,000.00, a Toyota RAV-4 2015 model worth N6,500,000.00 and a Toyota Matrix 2002 model valued at N2,000,000.00 which he procured with the proceeds of the crime”
The second suspect, Blessed Junior, was said to have returned to Nigeria from Italy in February, 2020. Allegedly, he was still maintaining close contacts and illicit dealings with his Italian associates. Investigations reveal that he has made over One Hundred and Twenty Million Naira (N120,000,000.00) from internet fraud and other cybercrime dealings.
The police say….
“He also received the sum of 52,000 Euros recently from his criminal associates in Italy as commission for his active involvement in an international cyber-crime deal. He also owns a filling station established with the proceeds of the crime”
While Mohammed Zakari is accused of being an expert in internet fraud, identity theft and impersonation, falsely claims to be a British citizen.
“He also poses to be one Kelly Galk on online dating apps which he uses to carry out romance scams and to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, locally and internationally. Investigation reveals he has made millions of Naira from his illicit cyber-crime transactions since he joined the syndicate.”
On conclusion of investigation, all the suspects will be charged to court and prosecuted in line with the Cyber-crime Prevention/Prohibition Act, 2015.
