Police operatives in Lagos State have arrested a man, Chimereze Chinedu, for allegedly defrauding a Thai to the tune of $216,000 and N30m respectively.

Disclosing this in a statement on Tuesday via his X handle, the state’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the suspect promised to supply his victim with 37 tricycles which he valued at $216,000.

“In a move to further extort money from his victim, the suspect was said to have forged letters from the State Criminal Investigation Department to lure his victim into believing that the tricycles were seized by the police,” Hundeyin added.

According to Hundeyin, the suspect allegedly used the forged documents to obtain another sum of N30m from the victim to secure the release of the seized tricycles.

“Chimereze defrauded his victim under the pretence of selling 37 tricycles to her. He further expanded his fraudulent activity by forging letters of the State Criminal Investigative Department, Lagos showing that the tricycles were seized by the police and further extorted N30m from the victim to purportedly secure the release of the tricycles,” the police spokesman said.

The state police command said the “suspect was arrested on May 10, 2024, in Enugu State” following weeks of investigation and a collaboration with officials of the International Criminal Police Organisation.

The police spokesperson explained that efforts were going on to apprehend other accomplices of the suspect while stressing the command’s commitment to combating internet fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken into custody a woman accused of misusing the Nigerian currency, the naira, in Gombe State.

Janty Emmanuel, the suspect, was apprehended on Monday, by operatives from the EFCC’s Gombe Zonal Command, according to a statement released on Tuesday by the commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale.

“She was arrested on Monday, May 20, 2024, following intelligence that spotted her spraying Naira notes at a social event,” the statement clarified.

“After her arrest, the suspect was presented with a video showing her dancing at G-Connect, Tumfure, Gombe State, and spraying Naira notes of N1000 denomination.

“She confessed to the offense. She will be arraigned in court once investigations are concluded.”

The EFCC has recently heightened its efforts to combat individuals who abuse the local currency, including high-profile individuals.

One such individual is Bobrisky, who received a six-month prison sentence without the option of a fine on April 12 for misusing the naira.

Also, the commission pursued socialite Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief Priest, over alleged naira abuse, although the matter was resolved out of court.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has fulfilled its commitment to justice by handing over $22,000 recovered from a convicted internet fraudster, Hakeem Olanrewaju, to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

In a statement released on Saturday, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale announced that the handover took place on Friday in Lagos State.

“We are delighted to be handing over this proceeds of crime today,” remarked the Acting Director of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Command, Michael Wetkas. “The EFCC is willing and always ready to do more.”

At the handover event, FBI’s Legal Attaché Charles Smith praised the EFCC for its collaborative efforts.

“The EFCC and FBI work collaboratively together, and it is thanks to the EFCC that we can recover funds of this nature, especially from Business Email Compromise, BEC,” stated Smith.

“This type of crime cripples businesses in the US, and for them to recover the money within one to two years gives hope to the affected companies and brings some level of justice, even if not all subjects have been identified.”

Smith expressed hope for continued cooperation between the two agencies, emphasising the FBI’s readiness to support investigations.

Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, had previously ordered the restitution of the recovered money to Olanrewaju’s victim in the US.

Olanrewaju was sentenced to two years imprisonment for identity theft and impersonation on August 15, 2023.