Emmanuel Ukudolo
November 26, 2015 – Operatives of the Lagos State crime fighting outfit, Rapid Response Squad (RRS) today arrested five members of a 15-man syndicate that specializes in making counterfeit US Dollars and defrauding members of the public.
The suspects, Ade Oladele (32), Friday Philip (33), Israel Ibeh (35), Oyewole Thompson (30) and Onyegbuchi Godwin (31) were arrested in Oko Baba Sule by Wilma Bridge around Olodi – Apapa.
The syndicate led by their gang leader, simply identified as Toronto had defrauded one Chioma Anozie of N210, 000.00 (Two Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira) under the pretext of supplying her phones and laptops.
One of the gang, Oyewole Thompson, met Anozie in Mile 2 pretending to be a foreigner looking for a marketer to help sell off a huge consignment of mobile phone and laptops. It was there she was directed to bring money to get the consignment.
‘They told me to bring money. I paid them N210, 000.00 and thereafter I was asked to bring three live chickens in place of a newly born child’s head, a roll of white handkerchief and traditional soap for money making rituals’, Anozie added. Oyewole Thompson, one of the leaders of the gang said he was a clearing and forwarding agent before he joined this gang.
“I was introduced to this business by Sunny T. We wash money. We lie to people that we are foreigners.
Our Chairman is Toronto, while other members of the gang are Emeka, Ifeanyi, Bobo, Onyinbo still at large”, he said.
Found with the suspects were several denominations of fake US Dollars and four mobile phones. Commander, RRS, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Olatunji Disu has advised Lagosians to be weary of people with tempting offers, especially as the New Year approaches.
He said the force would not relent in its efforts to make Lagos a safe and secured abode for law abiding people.
