NSCDC arrests two members of cyber crime syndicate in Abuja

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Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Command has apprehended two members of a cybercrime syndicate specialized in impersonating officers of NSCDC and other government officials. The suspects, Henry Ushie Odep, 34 and Emmanuel Ushie Odep, 23, both brothers from Cross River State, after 7 months of a well-coordinated covert operation by men of the NSCDC FCT Command with the assistance of the Delta and Anambra State Police Command. Parading the suspects at the Command Headquarters at Wuse, Zone 5 on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, the Commandant, Olusola Odumosu, warned all cybercriminals who specialize in defrauding people to desist or be ready to face the long arm of the law. You recall the NSCDC FCT Command alerted the public in a press release of the existence of a fake Facebook account opened by an individual in the name of Commandant Olusola Odumosu, FCT Commandant, he said. Today I am glad to inform you that the manhunt for this suspect which began 7 months ago and followed by a well-coordinated covert operation by men of the NSCDC FCT Command with the assistance of the Delta and Anambra state commands has smoked out the masterminds behind the fraudulent Facebook account.” He explained further that the first to be arrested was Emmanuel Ushie Odep. After being lured to Abuja and apprehended by our personnel, he made a very useful confessional statement which led to the arrest of Henry Ushie Odep, his elder brother who was in possession of the phone used to operate the fake Facebook account bearing Olusola Odumosu. Henry confessed to opening the fake Facebook account immediately after the Commandant was appointed as the FCT Commandant in August 2023. Emmanuel Ushie Odep admitted to being the one withdrawing monies sent to the opay account by his brother (Henry) through POS machine until he was arrested by the officers of the FCT Command in Abuja. Commandant Olusola Odumosu stated further that on interrogation, Henry Ushie Odep said that he started online fraud in 2016 and he is the one who lured his younger brother Emmanuel Ushie Odep into the fraudulent act. He confessed to duping a lot of unsuspecting Nigerians of different sums of money under different guises in cyberspace. He also disclosed that he is the same person behind the defrauding of so many people through a fake Facebook account opened in the name of late Helen Amakiri, eight years ago (2016), then an assistant Commandant General. Investigation reveals that they operate Opay, Moniepoint and Palmplay accounts to receive money from unsuspecting persons but no bank account with traditional commercial banks. It was also discovered that they use two accounts belonging to one Victory Chinaoromwhi, who according to them never knew they were into cyber fraud. According to Henry, his friend Chibuike Okorie introduced him to cybercrime. The said Chibuike is currently in Kuwait as he has relocated from Nigeria. The following people, Amadi Chisom (F) 31 years old and Mrs Okafor Evelyn (F) 24 years whose names came up in the course of the investigation and were arrested alongside the principal suspect have been granted bail. Items recovered from the suspects include the Moniepoint POS Machine( 1), Opay POS machine (1), Techno Spark 10 phone(1), Techno Pop 8 phone (1), and Infinix phone (1). Commandant Odumosu said the arrest should serve as a deterrent to others in this illicit business. He said the NSCDC FCT Command in collaboration with other security agencies will continue to launch its dragnet into fighting any form of criminality that will contravene the peace, security and any other government’s interest for the people.