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Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested six suspected members of two fraud syndicates allegedly targeting traders and successful business operators across major markets in the state.
The suspects were said to operate a network that identified prospective victims, lured them with fake commodity supply deals and allegedly dispossessed them of their money.
The police also recovered a list containing details of more than 125 traders and business operators in major Lagos markets, including Oshodi, Arena, Idumota, Alaba and Trade Fair, who were allegedly identified as potential targets by one of the syndicates.
One of the gangs was also accused of luring a tyre merchant to the Aiyetoro-Itele area of Ogun State, where he was allegedly held captive until about N24 million was paid as ransom for his release.
The investigation reportedly began after members of one of the syndicates lured a cloth seller to the Ayobo area of Lagos, where Anti-Kidnapping Unit operatives arrested three suspects.
The arrests subsequently led to the apprehension of other alleged members of the two syndicates, which investigators said used different methods but shared the objective of defrauding traders and other unsuspecting victims.
A police source told Saturday PUNCH that the groups deliberately studied traders before approaching them with seemingly lucrative business propositions.
“The two groups use different tactics, but their mode of operation is that they target prospective investors or traders but end up defrauding them in the process,” the source said.
Suspects reveal modus operandi
One of the suspects, 61-year-old Patrick Nwankwo from Imo State, reportedly told investigators that he joined the syndicate after his second-hand clothing business collapsed.
Nwankwo said he worked as a “caller”, whose job was to identify and approach potential victims before other members of the gang carried out the fraud.
“I started as a ‘caller’. A caller is a person who goes out to identify and speak with our prospective victims. We identify businessmen.
“After this, we lie to them that someone needs a large supply of a particular commodity and for them to supply. We usually use bicycle spare parts as the needed commodity,” he said.
He explained that after victims supplied the goods, another member, known as the receiver, would collect them before the syndicate disappeared.
“Another member of the gang will serve as the receiver. Once they supplied those items to him, we will disappear from that address,” Nwankwo said.
He said the gang operated from Ogun State but targeted traders in major Lagos markets.
Nwankwo also said the syndicate exploited people’s desire to make quick money.
“Our base is in Ogun State, but we target businessmen at popular markets, including Oshodi, Arena, Idumota, Alaba and Trade Fair Market. We already have our targets and what they sell.
“We don’t pray for gullible people to finish. Gullible people cannot finish in Nigeria. They want to get very rich quick, and we take advantage of that,” he said.
Another suspect, 60-year-old Emeka Obi, said he previously worked as a caller but had become too old to participate actively.
Obi said he allowed the gang to use his office and received 10 percent of the money obtained from victims.
He said he initially operated a drug store before allegedly falling victim to another fraud syndicate.
“I was operating a drug store, but I was duped by a gang. When I got back to the same people who duped me, they asked me to join them, and I did,” he said.
Obi also recounted losing N400,000 in 1990 after being deceived in what he thought was a drug transaction.
Suspects cite hardship
Another suspect, 47-year-old Charles Okeke, said he became involved in fraud after he was allegedly abandoned in Ghana while attempting to travel abroad.
Okeke, a former shoemaker in Aba, Abia State, said a man took him to Ghana in 2018 after promising to help him travel to Europe or the United States but later abandoned him.
He said he subsequently met other Nigerians and became involved in fraud under the guise of washing money.
“I started looking for something to do. I met some Nigerians. I was doing shoemaking and the money was nothing to write home about.
“I met a boy, Chukwudi, and a Ghanaian, Jojome. They invited me to join them, and we duped people under the guise of washing money for them,” he said.
Okeke said he returned to Nigeria following his mother’s death and stayed after his family advised him against returning to Ghana.
He also cited hardship and the departure of his wife with their two children as factors that contributed to his decision to continue with fraud.
Another suspect, 53-year-old Emmanuel Ekenta from Awka, Anambra State, said he had previously been a successful businessman exporting plates to Ghana before he was allegedly defrauded at the Togo border in 2006.
Ekenta said his experience eventually led him into the criminal activity.
He explained that his syndicate used a “catcher” and a “sitter” to gain victims’ confidence.
According to him, the catcher posed as a sailor or foreigner who had arrived in Lagos with goods and convinced prospective victims that they could make substantial profits by selling them.
He said victims were subsequently taken to the gang’s base, where they were introduced to a fake dollar-washing operation.
“What we do is that one of us, usually the catcher, will pose as a sailor and a foreigner who just arrived in Lagos with goods for sale.
“We then tell our prospective victim that she would make huge money by selling these non-existent goods.
“After agreeing to sell the goods, the catcher will pretend to take them to the place where the goods are kept but instead take them to our base, where we introduce them to the dollar-washing business,” he said.
Ekenta added that a “sitter” would support the false story by pretending to be related to a customs officer who cleared the supposed goods.
Also arrested was 46-year-old Uchenna Paul, a former foodstuff seller, who claimed he joined the group after allegedly losing his master’s money while in Lagos to purchase stockfish.
Police confirm arrests
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the arrest of the suspects.
Adebisi reiterated the commitment of the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, to making Lagos uninhabitable for criminals and bringing those involved in criminal activities to justice.
The police said investigations were continuing.
