The Delta State Police Command has arrested three suspected fraudsters accused of impersonating top government officials to swindle unsuspecting Nigerians with fake promises of jobs, political appointments and other government benefits.
The suspects, identified as Aghogho Okpogbodu (51), Moses Exist (48) and Benjamin Owah (49), were arrested by detectives attached to the Area Command in Effurun after an investigation into their alleged activities.
Police said the suspects are believed to be part of a syndicate that used the names of senior government officials to deceive victims into paying large sums of money.
According to the Command, preliminary investigations showed that the suspects allegedly operated with SIM cards said to be registered in the names of prominent public officials. Among those whose identities were allegedly used are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, the Director of Protocol to the Delta State Governor, Chief Hon. Onoriode Sunday, and the Chief of Staff to the Delta State Governor, Hon. Prince Johnson Erijo, among others.
Investigators also discovered that the suspects allegedly relied on a caller-identification mobile application that displays names linked to phone numbers. This, police said, made it appear as though calls were coming directly from the officials they were impersonating, thereby convincing victims that the requests were genuine.
One of the major cases uncovered during the investigation involved a community leader from Otu-Jeremi, who was allegedly tricked into paying ₦5.475 million.
Police said the victim was persuaded to part with the money after being promised assistance in securing his appointment as the President-General of his community.
During a search of the suspects’ premises, detectives recovered seven mobile phones, 17 SIM cards, 12 ATM cards belonging to different account holders, one Point-of-Sale (POS) machine, as well as documents containing financial and personal identification details of several individuals.
The police believe the recovered items may help uncover more members of the syndicate and identify additional victims.
The Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Samuel Erale, warned Nigerians not to rely solely on caller-identification applications when receiving calls from people claiming to be government officials, especially where money is demanded or appointments are promised.
He urged anyone who may have fallen victim to the suspects or similar fraud schemes to report to the police and provide useful information that could assist ongoing investigations.
The police chief also reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to tackling fraud and ensuring that those involved in criminal activities are brought to justice.