Operatives of the C4i intelligence unit of the Rivers State Police Command, have arrested two suspected online scammers for defrauding a Canadian-based Nigerian, Sandra Austin, the sum of N150 million.
The operatives also arrested a cab driver, Nwanna Andrew, accused of targeting lone female passengers to rob them of their personal belongings.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday, said while the scammers, Michael Onyedikachi and Akachukwu Benedict, both aged 29, were arrested in Enugu, the Enugu State capital, Nwanna, aged 44, was arrested in the Rivers State capital.
Iringe-Koko said that in February 2022, Onyedikachi sent a Facebook friend request to Sandra posing as Engineer Desmond Chibuike Okechukwu, which she reluctantly accepted. He then convinced her to send him monies so that he could buy and build a house for her in any of the choice parts of Lagos.
The statement reads in part: “The Rivers State Police Command has apprehended two suspects involved in sophisticated online fraud and relationship scams. One prominent case centred around Sandra Austin, a Nigerian residing in Ontario, Canada, who fell victim to a deceptive scheme orchestrated by these fraudsters.
“Sandra Austin reported that in February 2022, she received a Facebook friend request from an account named Engineer Desmond Chibuike Okechukwu. Initially hesitant, she eventually accepted the request, leading to frequent exchanges of messages. The individual behind the account claimed to be an engineer capable of assisting her in constructing properties in Nigeria.
“The fraud escalated when the scammer persuaded Sandra to transition their conversations to WhatsApp. On this platform, he sent her pictures of luxurious houses purportedly built by him in upscale areas like Ajah, Lagos. Sandra expressed interest in one of the showcased properties, which the scammer claimed would cost 150 million Naira to purchase and develop.
“Trusting his claims, she began transferring funds to a provided bank account, sending a total of 110 million Naira by February 2024. After the final payment of Thirty Million Naira, she was abruptly blocked from all communication channels.
“The shock of the scam caused Sandra’s blood pressure to spike, landing her in the hospital. Determined to seek justice, she contacted her family in Nigeria, who promptly reported the matter to the Police. The victim made a complaint through a petition to the Commissioner of Police Rivers who referred the case to the C4i Intelligence Unit in Borikiri, Port Harcourt, for discreet investigation. Meanwhile, the fraudsters repeatedly called Sandra to intimidate her and deter her from involving the authorities.
“Operatives swung into action and after intelligence-led policing, apprehended two suspects. The first suspect, Michael Onyedikachi, a 29-year-old from Nkanu West LGA, Enugu, confessed to operating the “Engineer Desmond” account. Michael admitted to downloading images of construction projects to deceive the victim into believing progress was being made on her supposed property. He also disclosed that he spent eight months in Accra, Ghana, learning the art of online fraud.
“Michael was arrested at 7 pm on August 14, 2024, in his three-bedroom bungalow located in Ama-Okponike, a remote area in Enugu where he lived comfortably off his illicit earnings. During the operation, Police discovered a shrine prominently displayed within his residence, believed to be used for ritual purposes linked to his fraudulent activities.
“Michael’s arrest led to the capture of his accomplice, Akachukwu Benedict, also 29, from Ngo-Okpala LGA, Imo State. Akachukwu was apprehended on August 16, 2024, at a hotel in Enugu, where he had lavishly booked a suite for an entire year. He confessed to introducing Michael to online fraud in 2022 and admitted to his own history of relationship scams. His first fraudulent act, he revealed, occurred in 2021 when he swindled an American woman named Molissa out of $600.
“The suspects detailed their methods to the Police, explaining that they acquired phone numbers through a dealer, who remains at large, specializing in cloned SIM cards. To avoid detection, they processed most payments through cryptocurrency wallets. The investigation has also revealed that they relied heavily on social engineering tactics and fake online personas to manipulate their victims.”
It said the Police have recovered significant items linked to the fraud, including a Toyota Corolla, land documents, laptops and phones.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has said the arrested cab driver, Nwanna, who hails from Aboh-Mbaise in Imo State, exploited the use of his private plate numbered vehicle to carry out his criminal activities.
The statement reads in part: “The Rivers State Police Command, through the Operatives of the C4i Intelligence Unit, has apprehended a cab driver accused of targeting lone female passengers to rob them of their personal belongings. The suspect, Nwanna Andrew, aged 44yrs, a native of Aboh-Mbaise, Imo State, exploited the use of his private plate numbered vehicle to carry out his criminal activities.
“On October 4, 2024, at about 0800hrs, Nwanna picked up a female passenger along Stadium Road, Port Harcourt, heading to Old GRA. On the way, he diverted the car to a secluded area near Port Harcourt Primary School. There, he attacked the passenger, stealing two phones—a Tecno Pop 2 and another Android device—before pushing her out of the vehicle and fleeing the scene.
“In the early hours of October 10, 2024, around 0300hrs Nwanna struck again. He picked up a female passenger at Tombia Extension in GRA Phase 2, who was heading to Birabi Street in the same area. Following his usual tactic, he diverted near the Skippers area, stopped the car, threatened to stab the passenger with a Sharp knife and robbed her of her belongings, including an iPhone 13, valued Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira, iPhone 15 valued One Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira, Redmi 120 Phone valued Two Hundred Thousand Naira, AirPods valued Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira, Access Bank ATM Debit Card, a Bible, the sum of Two Hundred Naira cash Two Hundred US-Dollars, leaving her stranded.
“The second victim promptly reported the incident to the police where operatives traced and arrested one Andrew Nwanna on October 18, 2024 at farm road, Rumuosi, Port Harcourt.
“During interrogation, Nwanna confessed to his crimes, revealing a co-conspirator, Garba Adamu, a 38-year-old Bureau de Change operator from Kano. Adamu, who operates around the Hotel Presidential axis in Port Harcourt, acted as the receiver for the stolen items.
“He admitted purchasing the last set of phones for N120,000. Nwanna also confessed to having robbed multiple victims since he started the degenerate practice in August 2023.
