Two In Police Net Over Alleged N535,650,000 Cyber Fraud
…Another Over Cyberbullying
THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested three suspects, whose activities involved internet fraud and cyberbullying.
Two of the suspects, Mohammed Hassan Barau and Peace Ekom Robert were allegedly involved in massive fraud of Five Hundred and Thirty-Five Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N535,650,000.00)
Of the total sum, Mohammed Hassan Barau’s fraud was Four Hundred and Ninety-Two Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira, while Peace Ekom Robert’s was Forty-Two Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N42,900,000.00).
The third suspect, Mrs Okoli Edoka Chioma, was arrested for defaming Erisco Food’s Nagiko Tomato Paste, tagging it a killer on social media.
In the case of Mohammed Hassan Barau, one Mr Akinola Bayo Michael had in October 2021, sought to obtain foreign exchange (forex) for the purchase of a machine from the Netherlands.
Mr Michael sent a whopping sum of Four Hundred and Ninety-Two Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N492,750,000.00) to the bank account of Mr Mohammed Sulaiman.
However, instead of facilitating the forex transaction as agreed, Mr. Sulaiman transferred the funds to another individual, Mr. Mohammed Hassan Barau.
Mr Hassan Barau, who resides in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), subsequently sent 513,000 Euros to Mr Michael from Belgium, supposedly for the forex transaction.
However, this transaction was flagged as fraudulent, leading Mr Michael to return the funds to the sender.
Realizing that he had been a victim of fraud, Mr. Michael made multiple attempts to recover his money but was unsuccessful.
The case took a significant turn when it was assigned to the INTERPOL which launched an investigation into the matter.
Recognizing the severity of the fraud and its international dimension, INTERPOL placed the prime suspect, Mr. Mohammed Hassan Barau, on a red alert list, thereby facilitating international cooperation in tracking and apprehending the suspect.
According to the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, “We are pleased to inform you that Mr Mohammed Hassan Barau was arrested by INTERPOL Abu Dhabi and subsequently extradited to Nigeria on 27th September 2023.
“His extradition marks a crucial milestone in the pursuit of justice for Mr Akinola Bayo Michael.
“The successful extradition of Mr. Mohammed Hassan Barau demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies, both within and outside Nigeria, to ensuring that perpetrators of criminal activities, particularly those with international ramifications, are held accountable for their actions.
“This case underscores the importance of vigilance and due diligence in financial transactions, especially in the era of increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes.
“We urge individuals and businesses to exercise caution and verify the legitimacy of financial transactions to prevent falling victim to fraud”, the Police said.
For Peace Ekom Robert, in a case of fraudulent conversion of funds, forgery and threat to life, one Mrs. Ifeanyiwa Anthonia Ugoh filed a complaint against her to the effect that on 30 January 2023, she communicated with Peace Ekom Robert, indicating that she had access to a significant sum of 600,000 Euros for forex trading.
In response, the suspect claimed to have a client requiring 780,000 Euros.
To verify the authenticity of the suspect and her client, Mrs Ugoh arranged for her client to make payments totalling 55,000 Euros in two instalments. Subsequently, the suspect provided an account balance statement, allegedly showing a remarkable 5.3 billion Naira, demonstrating her client’s financial capacity for the transaction.
However, after conducting due diligence, Mrs. Ugoh discovered that the account balance statement provided by the suspect was forged.
When she sought to recover the 55,000 Euros or its Naira equivalent, the suspect falsely claimed that the account had been flagged by INTERPOL, even resorting to threats to dissuade Mrs Ugoh from involving the police.
Undeterred, Mrs Ugoh reported the matter to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Lagos, leading to the arrest of the suspect, Peace Ekom Robert. A friend of hers, one Hon. Ndiana Abasi, in a bid to broker peace between the parties, voluntarily paid the sum of Fifteen Million Naira (N15,000,000.00) of the total Naira equivalent of Forty-Two Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N42,900,000.00)
Subsequently, Peace Ekom Robert was granted bail under the condition that she would pay the outstanding balance of Twenty-Seven Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N27,900,000) in two instalments, as witnessed by Hon. Ndiana-Abasi.
Regrettably, the suspect failed to fulfill this commitment and absconded, evading the legal process.
In a twist of events, the suspect petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, resulting in the case being forwarded to the NPF National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC).
Recognizing the similarity of cases involving the suspect, the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) was assigned to harmonize the investigations.
The suspect later attempted to arrange a meeting with Mrs Ugoh to reconcile, but upon arrival, Mrs Ugoh, accompanied by police officers, discovered that the suspect had come with officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to apprehend her.
After realizing that the police were coordinating the case harmonization with the EFCC, the suspect ceased contact with them. Peace Ekom Robert was thereafter declared wanted alongside Ndiana-Abasi who came forward and clarified his position in the matter and was thereupon cleared by the Police.
The suspect, Peace Ekom, was apprehended on 22nd September in Abuja after months of evading arrest.
The Police, however, said, “It has come to our attention that additional complainants with similar cases against her have started to come forward.
“We are committed to conducting thorough investigations, and upon the conclusion of our inquiries, the suspect will be brought to face legal consequences. We take this opportunity to encourage other victims of the suspect’s fraudulent activities to come forward and cooperate in the harmonisation of investigations. This collaborative effort is pivotal in ensuring that justice is served.”
As for Okoli Edoka Chioma, in the case of Erisco Food’s Nagiko Tomato Paste, which the Police have classified as criminal conspiracy and cyberbullying, Police received a petition from Erisko Foods Limited on 19 September 2023 following a social media post on the Facebook platform, where Mrs. Okoli Edoka Chioma claimed to have purchased Nagiko Tomato Paste and subsequently provided a review of the product.
“While we encourage consumers to express their opinions and concerns about products they use, it is essential that these reviews are based on factual information and are presented responsibly”, Police said, adding that, “Ms. Chioma’s review of the Nagiko Tomato Paste included claims that the product contained excessive sugar and, more alarmingly, that it was causing harm and death to individuals who consumed it”.
These allegations were made publicly on her social media account, sparking concern among members of the public and potentially damaging the reputation of Erisco Foods Limited and its product.
Upon receiving information about these allegations, a thorough investigation was initiated.
During the course of the investigation, several important findings were made, including that Mrs. Chioma was unable to provide any credible evidence or proof of purchase to substantiate her claims that she bought the Nagiko Tomato Paste nor could she provide any evidence or names of individuals who had allegedly been harmed or killed by consuming the product.
Mrs Chioma subsequently tendered a public apology for her earlier claims, acknowledging that her statements were false and unfounded.
According to the Police, “The investigation into this matter is ongoing, and upon its conclusion, appropriate legal action may be taken against Mrs. Okoli Edoka Chioma in accordance with extant laws.
‘The seriousness of making false and damaging allegations on a public platform cannot be understated. The NPF therefore reminds the public that making unverified claims or spreading false information about products, individuals, or companies can have significant consequences.
“Such actions can damage reputations, incite panic, and lead to unwarranted harm to businesses and individuals.
“In conclusion, the NPF urges members of the public to exercise responsibility and discretion when expressing their views and opinions, especially on social media platforms.
“False allegations, cyberbullying, and unfounded claims can have far-reaching repercussions, both legally and socially”.
Eighteen-Eleven Media
