The Zone-2 Police Command in Lagos has apprehended two suspected international fraudsters accused of forging foreign certificates in Lagos and Ghana. The suspects, identified as Elvis (23) and Kelly (24), allegedly attempted to bribe the police with N66 million in exchange for their release. The police rejected the offer and retained the funds as evidence.
The Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in charge of Zone-2 Police Command, Adegoke Fayaode, confirmed the arrests to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He stated that the suspects offered the bribe in a bid to secure their freedom, prompting the police to adopt a strategic approach to collect the funds as evidence.
Previous Bribery Rejections
Fayaode noted that this was not the first time Zone-2 operatives had rejected a bribe. In November, the unit turned down a larger bribe of N174 million offered by another suspect.
Details of the Arrest
The arrests followed credible information provided by Nigerians in the diaspora about a group involved in the forgery of foreign certificates. Acting on this tip, the Anti-Corruption Unit launched an investigation and traced the suspects to a five-star hotel in Osapa-London, Lekki. After monitoring their activities, detectives apprehended the suspects at a bus stop as they attempted to escape.
Fayaode disclosed that Elvis and Kelly specialized in forging certificates from international institutions, including African universities, and used these fraudulent documents to deceive victims online. Proceeds from their illegal activities were used to acquire luxury cars and build mansions across Nigeria.
Evidence Recovered
During a search of the suspects’ luggage, police recovered several forged documents, including:
- A certificate from Blue Crest College in Ghana
- A student identity card from Academic City College
- A transcript of academic records from Blue Crest University
The suspects admitted to purchasing these forged documents with the help of a Nigerian woman residing in Ghana. They revealed that their primary aim was to obtain Ghanaian residency permits by posing as students of Academic City University, despite never being admitted to the institution.
The suspects reportedly paid 26,000 Ghanaian Cedis for the documents, claiming they needed them to avoid arrest in Ghana due to their lack of legitimate means of livelihood.
Other Criminal Activities
Further investigations revealed that the suspects were also engaged in online romance scams, using foreign bank accounts for fraudulent transactions in a scheme they referred to as “Facebook bombing.”
The suspects impersonated an American soldier named Captain Donald Rowe, purportedly serving in Syria, to defraud victims on Instagram.
Cross-Border Investigations Underway
The Nigerian Police have contacted the Ghanaian embassy to gather more information about the suspects’ operations and their foreign accomplices. Additionally, Interpol has been enlisted to track down international partners involved in the fraud.
The case underscores the need for heightened vigilance and collaboration among law enforcement agencies to combat transnational crimes and protect unsuspecting victims from fraudulent schemes.
