The Rivers State Police Command has announced the arrest of two suspects, Michael Onyedikachi and his accomplice, Akachukwu Benedict, for their involvement in an online scam targeting a Canada-based Nigerian.
According to the command, the case involved Sandra Austin, a Nigerian resident in Ontario, Canada, deceived by the suspects into transferring N110m over two years.
The command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Iringe-Koko explained that the scam began in February 2022 when Sandra received a Facebook friend request from an account named “Engineer Desmond Chibuike Okechukwu.”
The statement read, “Initially hesitant, Sandra eventually accepted the request, which led to frequent exchanges of messages. The individual behind the account posed as an engineer capable of assisting her in constructing properties in Nigeria.
“The fraud escalated when the suspect persuaded Sandra to move their conversations to WhatsApp, where he shared photos of luxury homes he claimed to have built in upscale areas like Ajah, Lagos.
“Sandra expressed interest in one of the showcased properties, which the scammer claimed would cost N150m. Trusting his claims, she transferred a total of N110m to a provided bank account between 2022 and 2024.
After making a final payment of N30m, she was abruptly blocked from all communication channels.”
The scam caused Sandra’s blood pressure to spike, requiring hospitalisation. Determined to seek justice, she contacted her family in Nigeria, who reported the matter to the police.
Following a petition to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, the case was referred to the C4i Intelligence Unit in Port Harcourt for a discreet investigation.
The statement continued, “The suspects attempted to intimidate Sandra to deter her from involving the authorities. However, the operatives, through intelligence-led policing, apprehended two suspects.”
The first suspect, 29-year-old Michael Onyedikachi from Nkanu West LGA in Enugu State, was arrested on 14 August 2024 in his bungalow in Ama-Okponike, Enugu. Iringe-Koko said Michael confessed to creating the fake
“Engineer Desmond” account and admitted to using downloaded images of construction projects to deceive Sandra.
She added, “Michael spent eight months in Accra, Ghana, learning online fraud techniques. During his arrest, a shrine believed to be linked to his fraudulent activities was discovered in his residence.”
The arrest of Michael led to the apprehension of his accomplice, 29-year-old Akachukwu Benedict, from Ngo-Okpala LGA, Imo State, on 16 August 2024. Akachukwu was found in a hotel suite in Enugu, which he had booked for a year. He admitted to introducing Michael to online fraud in 2022 and confessed to swindling an American woman out of $600 in 2021.
The suspects revealed that they used cloned SIM cards and cryptocurrency wallets to avoid detection. Items recovered from them included a Toyota Corolla, land documents, laptops, and mobile phones.
The police stated that investigations are ongoing to apprehend other accomplices, adding that the suspects will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.
The statement concluded: “The swift action by the C4i Intelligence Unit underscores their commitment to combating cybercrime and ensuring justice for victims.”
Source:- Punchng
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