The Lagos State Police Command has successfully uncovered and dismantled an illegal internet fraud training facility, commonly referred to as a “Yahoo School,” operating in the Iju area of Lagos State.
A statement from the spokesperson of the command, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, says during the successful operation, the Police Detectives arrested four(4) Yahoo experts who were running the notorious school, namely Chibuike Ihejika, 23; Stanley Ihejika, 22; Obiora Oyediba, 26; and Emmanuel Oyediba, 25.
The other six (6) suspects were their trainees, all of whom were undergoing training in cybercrime and fraud: Okorie Henry, Otoh Chisom, 20; Okeke Kwufrochikwu, 26; Uchenna Obeji, 26; Minachi Udochukwu, 12; and Chinedu Ukachukwu, 23.
‘’Preliminary investigations revealed that the principal suspects of the facility recruited their trainees from Anambra State, engaged them to commit internet fraud and other related crimes. The proceeds from their fraudulent activities were being confiscated by the principal suspects.
All suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for further discreet investigation and prosecution. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the sponsors who financed the trainees’ enrollment in the school as well as the owner of the facility where these criminal and illegal activities took place. The owner of the facility is hereby warned in his own interest to turn himself in immediately at the SCID Panti from wherever he is hiding.
Hundeyin mentioned that the Lagos State Police Command will ensure that all suspects are charged to court for prosecution upon the conclusion of the investigation into the case.
He further stated that in line with due process of the law, the underage suspect among them, Minachi Ugochukwu, 12 years old, with healing marks of injuries on his body allegedly inflicted on him by the main principal suspect to compel him into the commission of the criminal acts, is being given medical attention and kept in protective custody till his relatives are identified and reunited with him.
He urged parents and guardians to monitor the activities of their children and wards to prevent them from being exploited, lured, or compelled into criminal activities.