Three In Police Net Over N5.4m Appointment Scam

The Delta State Police Command has arrested three men accused of defrauding a community leader of N5.475m by allegedly impersonating senior government officials and promising to secure his appointment as president-general of his community.

The suspects, identified as Aghogho Okpogbodu, 51, Moses Exist, 48, and Benjamin Owah, 49, were arrested by detectives from the Area Command in Effurun following an investigation into the alleged fraud.

The police said on Tuesday that the suspects allegedly posed as prominent government officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and officials of the Delta State Government.

They allegedly used SIM cards registered in the names of the officials and caller-identification apps to make their calls appear genuine.

In one of the alleged incidents, the suspects reportedly impersonated the Director of Protocol to the Delta State Governor and collected N5.475m from a community leader in Otu-Jeremi, Ughelli South Local Government Area, under the pretext of securing his appointment as president-general of the community.

A search of the suspects’ premises reportedly yielded seven mobile phones, 17 SIM cards, 12 ATM cards bearing different names, a Point-of-Sale terminal and documents containing the financial and identification details of several people.

The police said investigations were ongoing to identify other possible victims and accomplices.

The Commissioner of Police, Samuel Erale, said, “Members of the public should not rely solely on caller-identification apps when trying to confirm a caller’s identity, especially when the person is asking for money or promising a government appointment.”

He urged anyone who may have been defrauded by the suspects, or who had encountered a similar scheme, to provide useful information to the police.