One of the two brothers, Henry Odep, believed to be part of cybercrime syndicates has disclosed that he made the sum of N460,000 from impersonating the FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu’s Facebook account.
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The cyber thieves who were captured by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps made the confession when they were apprehended and paraded during a press conference held in Abuja on Tuesday.
In September 2023, the NSCDC FCT Command issued a public alert regarding a fake Facebook account impersonating the FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu.
Identified as Henry Odep and Emanuel Odep from Cross River State, they were apprehended with evidence linking them to cyber fraud activities.
Henry who spoke to journalists said he started a cybercrime business in 2016 through a friend who made huge money from it.
“I made N460,000 from the fake Facebook account of the commandant between September- December 2023,” he added.
Emanuel, upon apprehension, provided valuable information leading to the arrest of his elder brother, Henry, who was found in possession of the device used to operate the fake Facebook account.
Henry admitted to initiating his brother into cyber fraud, which involved duping numerous individuals through various online schemes, including impersonating the late Assistant Commandant General, NSCDC Helen Amakiri.
The NSCDC said investigation revealed their use of platforms such as Opay, Moniepoint, and Palmpay to receive illicit funds, as well as their association with individuals unknowingly involved in their criminal activities.
Those inadvertently implicated in the investigation, including Amadi Chisom and Okafor Evelyn, have been granted bail pending further legal proceedings, as they were found to know nothing about the fraudulent activities.
Items recovered from the suspects include various electronic devices and POS machines used in their illegal operations.
Odumosu, addressing journalists, stated that “after an extensive investigation and a seven-month pursuit, collaborative efforts between NSCDC intelligence units and their counterparts from Delta and Anambra State Commands led to the apprehension of the individuals responsible for the deceptive Facebook account.”
The FCT NSCDC Commandant also warned cybercriminals that they would be apprehended and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Odumosu noted that the arrest served as a clear message that crime does not pay, and collaboration with other security agencies will continue to ensure the safety and security of citizens against all forms of criminality.
“Investigation is still ongoing. When it is concluded, they will be prosecuted according to the extant laws, and we believe that appropriate sanctions will be meted out on them.
“We want to use this opportunity to warn all cybercriminals who specialise in defrauding people of their hard-earned money to find legitimate trade to do because, sooner or later, the long arm of the law would catch up with them.
“The NSCDC FCT Command, in collaboration with other security agencies, will continue to launch its dragnet into fighting any form of criminality that will contravene peace, security, and any other government’s interest for the people,” he said.
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