The police in Lagos have arrested a fraud suspect, Chibuzor Osuji, for swindling a 34-year-old woman of N165,000 at Oko-Oba, in the Agege area of the state.

Mr Osuji, 42, is the alleged leader of a four-man fraud syndicate that operates in Ikeja, Ojota, Ojodu, Berger, Ogba, College Road and Agege axis, the police said in a statement on Sunday.

The syndicate has been operating for three years, according to the police, defrauding many unsuspecting citizens of their money through false prophesy, fake dollars, and other tricky means.

But luck ran out on them when they came in contact with the 34-year old lady who boarded a taxi belonging to the team at Ojota enroute Ojodu Berger. On getting to Oregun, the driver picked another passenger and they began their tricks on the lady.

“I ended up in their office in Iju, where they collected all the money on me including the one in my account,” said the lady who declined to be named.

“They made me swear to an oath never to inform anyone. Thereafter, Osuji requested that I go get another N60,000 to complete the ritual.”

The lady said she borrowed the N60,000 to give to Mr Osuji but on her way to hand it over to him she regained her consciousness, according to the police.

She ran into a patrol team of Rapid Response Squad officers and with their help, the suspect was arrested.

After he was arrested, the police quoted the suspect as saying that his role in the gang was to narrate false prophesy to victims after the person must have been lured into their offices at 8, Afolabi Street, Iju Shaga and 7, Salami Street, Oko Oba, and Agege. He also said his gang used fake dollars to entrap their victims.

While the other three members of the team identified as Frank, Stella and Emeka drive out daily to lure suspects, who they would have tricked into their dollar making scam, Mr Osuji is then invited as a pastor to pray for the victim, the police statement said.

In the process of praying for the victim, Mr Osuji would start requesting for money for anointing oil, chemicals for the washing of the money, and other charges, the statement added.

Mr Osuji, who said frustration made him join the gang three years ago, allegedly confessed to the crime of defrauding the victim.

“What I collected from the victim is N120,000. I know that my colleagues withdrew N45,000 from her ATM. I am ready to pay all the money back,” he reportedly said.

The police have pledged to arrest the remaining gang members.