Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have smashed a fraud syndicate alleged to have defrauded some high-profile Nigerians of millions of naira over the years.
The police public relations officer , DSP TImfon John, told journalists at the state command’s headquarters, Ikot Akpanabia, Uyo, that the seizure of the suspected scammers was achieved through diligent intelligence.
According to the police spokesperson, the arrested suspects have politicians, senior military and police officers, as well as other high-profile Nigerians, as targeted victims.
She listed the suspects’ identities, including Prince Francis Albert, 27, from Edem Aya, in the Ikot Abasi local government area; Augustine Ernest Bassey, 39, from Okobo LGA; and Mbetobong Godwin, 35, from Ibesikpo Asutan LGA.
She said: “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has successfully apprehended three individuals suspected of being part of a syndicate responsible for defrauding numerous victims across Nigeria. The arrests followed several complaints received by the Command.
“Acting on the instructions of the commissioner of police (CP), CP Baba Mohammed Azare, operatives of the Command initiated a technical intelligence-led operation in July 2025.
“This effort culminated in the arrest of the three prime suspects on September 5, 2025, at approximately 13: 30 hours, from their hideout in the Ibesikpo Asutan LGA.
“Prince Francis Albert, 27years old from Edemeya village, Ikot Abasi LGA, who is the alleged gang leader, confessed to luring victims from various states using multiple phone numbers.
“He admitted to beginning his criminal activities in 2022, after graduating from Sokoto State Polytechnic. He also confessed to successfully scamming several high-profile individuals, including politicians, military officers, and senior police officers, by using fake identities.
“The suspect told investigators he sourced his victims’ phone numbers from marriage invitations, obituary posters, complimentary cards, and online sources. He further admitted to relocating from Oyo State to Akwa Ibom in April 2025, to evade pursuit by Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) operatives.
“The second suspect, Augustine Ernest Bassey, 39 years, from Okobo LGA, is a Point of Sale (PoS) operator, accused of receiving scammed funds through his OPay account. He has confessed to receiving large sums of money from victims between April and August 2025.
Also, the third suspect, Mbetobong Godwin, 35, from Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, shares a compound with the gang leader. He has confessed to receiving funds through his OPay account and collecting significant amounts of money for the syndicate during the same period.
“The suspects are fully cooperating with the Police to recover their SIM cards and assist in the arrest of other syndicate members who are currently at large.”
According to her, the command has enjoined the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies for urgent action.
