EFCC arrests four internet fraudsters

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Saturday arrested four internet fraudsters in Calabar, Cross River State, in two separate raids carried out in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday.

Tony Orilade, Acting Head, Media and Publicity of the commission, in a statement on Monday, indicated that the Saturday morning operation led to the arrest of a known “yahoo” kingpin, Akpojivi Joel Onoriode, a 29-year-old graduate of Delta State University, Abraka, who is married with two children.

He narrated that Onoriode was arrested in his lavishly furnished duplex located at Plot 10, Block VI, Unical Satellite Town, Calabar, which he confessed was purchased with proceeds from his illicit “yahoo” business. He confessed that he had been in the “yahoo-yahoo” business for a long time and was known as “Blinks” or “Mr. White”. He admitted that he has been in the “yahoo” business for a very long time and currently operates an offshore account in China, Orilade narrated.

Onoriode stated: “I was really known in my school then as a yahoo boy. I have two kids. I didn’t want to bring them up where people will say, ah! Your father is a yahoo boy. That was why I relocated my family from Asaba to Calabar.

“When I came out now and saw you people and the bus outside, my mind just told me there was a problem.”

Orilade disclosed that while conducting a search on the premises, three luxury cars were recovered from him – ZDX Acura car, E 300 Mercedes Benz and a Range Rover SUV. The Range Rover could, however, not be moved out of the premises with other exhibits due to mechanical problems. Other items recovered include, two iPhones, one Nokia phone, and documents of landed properties owned by the suspect.

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The EFCC spokesperson also revealed that the morning raid on May 5, 2019 led to the arrest of Ifeanyi Chukwudi, Godwin Joseph and Iluobe Daniel. They were picked up at different locations within Calabar, following intelligence reports gathered by operatives of the Commission, as a result of the high rate of cybercrime in the town, he said.

Orilade added that Chukwudi confessed that he specialized in love scam, admitting that he had “made a lot of money from the business (yahoo-yahoo)”.

Chukwudi had admitted: “I have defrauded women from the UK (United Kingdom). They usually pay me after we get engaged, and then, they will now want me to come over, that’s when they send me money and that’s how I get paid.”

National Daily gathered that some of the items recovered from his apartment at Effiong Close, Satellite Town, Calabar include: one iPhone 8 Plus, one HP laptop containing fraudulent letters of false claims, and nine SIM cards.

National Daily also learned that Joseph and Daniel were arrested at Itagbor Agbeansa area of Calabar. A Toyota Camry LE, one HP laptop containing scam emails and several exotic phones were recovered from them.

The EFCC said they will soon be charged to court.