Police operatives have rescued an American citizen at a Lagos hotel where she was held against her wish for over a year by a Nigerian man she met on social media

Force Public Relations Officer, DCP, Frank Mba,in a Statement made available to Channel Network Afrique News said the victim, a retired civil servant from Washington DC, USA arrived Nigeria on 13th February, 2019 on a visit to one Chukwuebuka Kasi Obiaku, a 34-year old man, from Ikeduru local government area of Imo State whom she met on Facebook.

She was however rescued by Police operatives attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Ogun State Annex following information received from a patriotic Nigerian in the Meran area of Lagos State.

According to Mba, investigation by the police revealed that the suspect, Chukwuebuka Kasi Obiaku is a graduate of Business Administration and Management and an internet fraudster who has defrauded many unsuspecting members of the public both locally and internationally.

Chukwuebuka deliberately lured the victim into the country under the pretext of love and deceitfully married her on 15th May, 2019.

He subsequently held her captive in a hotel, extorted from her monies amounting to a total of 48,000-USD.

He also forcefully collected and took control of her credit and debit cards as well as the operation of her bank accounts including the receipt of her monthly retirement benefits and allowances over the period of fifteen (15) months.

Chukwuebuka was also alleged to use the victim as a front to defraud her associates and other foreign personalities and companies.

In related development, operatives of the Nigeria Police Cybercrime Unit, INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja have arrested three suspects; Samson Inegbenesun 30years, Blessed Junior 32years and Muhammed Zakari 36years, all male from Uromi in Edo State, for cyber-related offences including advance fee fraud, money laundering and romance scam.

The suspects were arrested in Uromi, following investigations into suspected fraudulent online procurement and supply of COVID-19 protective mask, received through the INTERPOL NCB Wiesbaden, Germany.

Mba said police Investigations indicates that Samson Inegbenosun is an internet fraudster and a member of a Turkey-based online scamming syndicate.

He supplies foreign and local bank accounts to receive fraudulent funds and use same as conduit to other feeder accounts.

The Police recovered from him, a building apartment worth N20,000,000.00, a Toyota RAV-4 2015 model worth N6,500,000.00 and a Toyota Matrix 2002 model valued at N2,000,000.00 which he procured with the proceeds of the crime.

The second suspect, Blessed Junior, returned to Nigeria from Italy in February, 2020 but maintains close contacts and illicit dealings with his Italian associates.

According to Investigations,he is alleged to have made over One Hundred and Twenty Million Naira (N120,000,000.00) from internet fraud and other cybercrime dealings.

He also received the sum of 52,000 EUROs recently from his criminal associates in Italy as commission for his active involvement in an international cybercrime deal. The suspect owns a filling station established with the proceeds of the crime.

Mohammed Zakari, an expert in internet fraud, identity theft and impersonation, falsely claims to be a British citizen.

He also poses to be one Kelly Galk on online dating apps which he uses to carry out romance scams and to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, locally and internationally.

Investigation also revealed that he has made millions of naira from his illicit cybercrime transactions since he joined the syndicate.

All the suspects will be charged to court on conclusion of investigation and prosecuted in line with the Cybercrime Prevention/Prohibition Act, 2015.

End.