By Ivy Lawson
Rivers State Police Command has smashed a fake job syndicate operating in Igwuruta axis in Ikwerre local government area of the state.
State Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, on Tuesday, saying the syndicate lures their victims with fake promises of securing them jobs in oil and gas companies in Rivers State while they are meant to part with between N650,000 to N800,000 thousand naira each with assurances that they would be paid in United States Dollars (USD).
He said the fake job syndicates were arrested on August 29, 2024, based on credible intelligence.
“On August 29, 2024, at about 3:00 pm, Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command attached to the Octopus Strike Force, acting on a credible piece of information about a possible hostage situation in a compound at Igwuruta, swung into action and arrested a suspect, Chukwudi Okoli ‘m’, who posed as a staff of a company, Qjoseansel International Global Limited.
“During the operation, Amiye Joseph and 15 other victims comprising 13 males and two females were rescued and led to the station”.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the unsuspecting victims had each paid monetary sums ranging from NGN 650,000 to NGN 850,000.00 each to the phoney company with vain assurance that they would be given jobs within the Oil/Gas sector and receive payment in US Dollars,” Disu said.
Disu said the fraudsters operated in such a way that they would call their unsuspecting victims over the phone after a random selection of phone numbers; they would then introduce them to job opportunities and invite them to Port Harcourt where they would undergo fake interview processes.
He said in the process, the victims are then extorted of huge sums of money and held in a facility where they would be keenly monitored and after that is achieved, the victims are subjected to training where they would be taught to convince potential victims about the job opportunities with a pay of USD 450 per week.
The police commissioner stated that new entrants were tasked to pay USD 25 to facilitate a registration process while the suspects designed an online platform that generates a username and password for registrants upon completion of registration, adding that throughout the process, the victims are instructed to alienate themselves from other people.
Disu said sophisticated gadgets were recovered from the operational office of the suspects including phones, laptops, television sets, generators, industrial fans and office furniture, stating that investigations are still ongoing to arrest other members of the syndicate.
Meanwhile, the police in Rivers State have arrested one Chukuemela Imela also known as Boy Satan, a notorious car snatcher who operates from Ada-George, Iwofe axis of the state down to D/Line and Borikiri.
The police said Boy Satan is the leader of a five-man gang responsible for car snatching along these areas.
He said the gang leader has been to prison four different times before his latest arrest.
“The Rivers State Police Command have prevailed over a five-man gang responsible for car snatching and burglary in the Ada-George, Iwofe and Ogbogoro areas of Port Harcourt. Other locations of their operation are Egbelu, Diobu, D-line, GRA Phase II and Borikiri.
“The gang has been responsible for snatching at gunpoint, over 10 cars in the past three months and has been terrorising Rivers State residents seeking to enjoy the comforts and thrills of nightlife in the GRA axis of Port Harcourt,” Disu stated.
He added that, “The gang was led by a recidivist, one Chukwumela Imela aka Boy Satan, who had been to prison on four occasions for various crimes, ranging from cultism to raping and armed robbery. Together with his childhood friend and companion, Precious Adiele, he joined the Iceland cult group in 2009. He is famed for being merciless in killing both rivals and allies, thus earning him the moniker ‘Boy Satan’.
Disu said the gang came under the full glare of the Rivers State Police Command after they robbed one Mr Timothy Musa, 42, of his Toyota Camry on the night of April 17, 2024, and used the same car to loot shops and houses around the Agip-Ada-George areas of Port Harcourt before selling the vehicle to one of their receivers-an Alhaji still at large.
He said, “On another night, on the 5th of June 2024, the gang struck again, snatching another Toyota Camry and diverting the car and its owner to a location in Timber, Diobu. There, the car owner was robbed of his personal belongings, shot and left for dead whilst they whisked the car away. The victim was taken to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital where he eventually succumbed to his injuries”.
He said the Police who had been on the heels of the criminal gang got credible intelligence that they were about to carry out another operation at Diobu using a Keke-bus (minivan) on the 8th of June 2024 while men of the Octopus Strike Force of the Command immediately mobilised to the area and aided by the Diobu vigilante, came upon the criminals at Okonkwo Street in Diobu.
The Commissioner of police narrated further that the suspects on sighting the police, began shooting but fled as a result of superior firepower from the officers, adding that they were given a hot chase to Borikiri where they were neutralized.
He said a beretta pistol and two locally made revolvers and 2 cars have so far been recovered from the gang while investigations continue in a bid to mop up other stolen vehicles and round up fleeing gang members.
Also, the Commissioner of Police paraded one Prince Amadi Ogbonda from Elekahia community who allegedly lured a 16-year-old girl from Enugu and put her in a Ghana-Must-Go bag to Rivers State.
He said the suspect was arrested in Abuloma axis of the state while the victim was rescued.
Disu said the suspect and others had non-consensual canal knowledge of the teenager.
He said, “During preliminary investigations, it was revealed that the suspect lured the victim out of the Garki area in Enugu, put her in a Ghana-Must-Go bag and brought her to Port-Harcourt.
“On arrival in Port-Harcourt, the victim was taken to the house of one Chima (surname unknown), an internet fraudster operating in the Ozuoboko community. Chima and one other yet-to-be-identified suspect had non-consensual carnal knowledge of the victim repeatedly.
“The victim has been presented for medical examination and treatment while the suspect is currently in Police custody. Investigation is ongoing, while concerted efforts are intensified to apprehend other fleeing suspects.”