Emmanuel Thomas, Lagos
October 9, 2015 – Mr. Jonathan Isikwei, a 51 year old indigene of Igbodo in Anocha Local Government of Delta State has been arrested for unlawful possession of 448 travelers cheques, while Pascal Onuora Udeh(34) was arrested with 108 ATM debit cards.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the suspects were arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos by operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) during the outward clearance of passengers on a Belgium- bound flight and Qatar Airline flight to China.
The cases were thereafter transferred to the EFCC for further investigation.
The 448 traveler’s cheques purportedly belong to four banks in America, Europe and Canada. The Banks and the traveler’s Cheques are: Gun Nebo Inc. (Bank of Nova Scotia)- 117 pieces, Postbank Frankfurt -258 pieces, Safe Federal Credit Union -41 pieces and RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) -32 pieces.
“All the travelers’ cheques were signed, with some having monetary value written on them. Among the Cheques belonging to Safe Federal Credit Union, 27 pieces were blank while 14 pieces of the Cheques having monetary value worth 322,800 US Dollars. Twenty Seven pieces of the travelers’ Cheques belonging to Gun Nebo Canada Inc. were blank while 90 pieces of the cheques having monetary value worth 354,300 Canadian Dollars”, the EFCC said.
The suspect who claims he exports dried fish from Nigeria to Belgium, told investigators that he collected the parcel for onward delivery to a friend without any knowledge of the content.
In a related development, the EFCC is investigating the activities of one Pascal Onuora Udeh. The 34-year-old was arrested for being in possession of 108 pieces of Automated Teller Machine (ATM)/Debit cards.
The suspect who claims to be a trader and an undergraduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, is a native of Umudim Village of Obibi, Ochasi Ato, in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State.
He was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos by officials of NDLEA during the outward clearance of passengers on a Qatar Airline flight to China.
The suspect alleged that the Debit cards were given to him by his business associates to use in China to purchase men’s wears.
The suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
