The Nigeria Police Force says its National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has busted two suspects, Ebo Junior Success and Odia Theophilus, over alleged computer-related fraud, identity theft, cryptocurrency fraud, and obtaining money by false pretence.
Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejoi disclosed this in a Tuesday statement.
The police said the duo ran a syndicate specializing in defrauding unsuspecting victims from foreign countries by assuming appealing identities of other persons and promising them romantic relationships, under the pretext of which they defraud their victims.
“In the extant case, a report on their activities was received from Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency in Korea through the Interpol National Central Bureau that in May 2021, the suspects approached the victim, one Baek Seong-hee, a Korean national, via Kakaotalk, a mobile messaging application used majorly in South Korea, in the guise of being a member of the US Armed Forces stationed in Yemen.
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“The suspect used the pretext of a romantic relationship and defrauded the victim of 259,637,941 Korean Won (KRW) worth of cryptocurrency equivalent to about N91 million Nigerian Naira.
“Subsequent investigations led the NPF-NCCC to the arrest of the duo of Odia Theophilus aged 24 and Ebo Junior Success aged 25 at their hideout in Benin City, Edo State. The suspects confessed to being part of a syndicate responsible for these crimes and stated their roles as accomplices who provide bank accounts for fraudsters in furtherance of their nefarious activities,” the statement read in part.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba lauded the efforts of the Head, NPF-NCCC, DCP Uche Ifeanyi Henry, in ensuring a clampdown on cybercrime related offences.
The IGP similarly extolled the collaboration being enjoyed with other police agencies worldwide via the Interpol NCB platform stressing its importance in tackling transnational crimes.
“Suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations,” the statement further read.