Civil Defence Parades Togolese, Beninese As Human Traffickers, Fraudsters

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Lagos State has paraded four foreign nationals arrested in connection with alleged human trafficking and internet fraud.

The four suspects comprise three Togolese and a Beninoise.

Briefing journalists yesterday at the NSCDC, Badagry Division Headquarters, Ibereko, the commandant, Mr Adedotun Kenshinro, said that investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly defrauded 17 victims.

Kenshinro, represented by the command’s spokesperson, SC Oluwaseun Abolurin, said “last Thursday, based on credible intelligence, operatives of Badagry Division arrested illegal immigrants who specialise in luring unsuspecting victims into the country and into fraudulent activities.

“Each victim is lured through the social media space and asked to pay 650,000 CFA, about N1,650,000 for registering into their nefarious camps, where they train them on what is expected of them.

“If the victims refuse to cooperate with them, they will seize their phones and restrict their movements until they have a change of mind,” he said.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the commandant said that the suspects attempted to bribe operatives of the Badagry division with 130,000 CFAs, to sweep the matter under the carpet and compromise their investigation.

“This is another milestone achievement of the NSCDC state command, coming especially from Badagry Division, and we will continue to perform our duties effectively.

“However, we want to say unequivocally that all forms of inducement under any guise to compromise our collective and sworn oath to the Federal Republic of Nigeria will be suppressed.

“We will not relent on our oath to continue to name and to shame those who do not want the progress of others in our collective society,” he said.

Keshinro commended the Badagry Division commandant, CSC Gbenga Ekunola, for the arrest of the suspects.

“We will not relent on our oath to continue to name and to shame those who do not want the progress of others in our collective society,” he said.

The commandant said that the suspects have been handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service for further processing and action.

He advised citizens to be wary of Get-Rich-Quick schemes, stressing that desperate people to get rich, without putting in the work, fall prey to such fraudsters.

One of the victims, Mr Atokari Iderim, 28, from the Central African Republic, appealed to the Nigerian government to send them back home since they were not the perpetrators of the crime but victims of the process.