The Rivers State Police Command has dismantled a fraudulent job syndicate in Igwuruta, Ikwerre Local Government Area, rescuing 16 victims.
The State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, announced the development during a press briefing at the Command’s Headquarters in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Disu reported that the syndicate was exposed following a distress call from residents who suspected a hostage situation.
The suspects, posing as employees of a fictitious company, lured job seekers with false promises of employment.
“The fraudsters deceived victims into paying between N650,000 and N850,000 for non-existent jobs in the Oil and Gas sector,” Disu stated. The operation, conducted on August 29, 2024, by the Command’s Octopus Strike Force, led to the arrest of Chukwudi Okoli, who falsely claimed affiliation with Qjoseansel International Global Limited.
The police successfully rescued 16 victims, comprising 13 males and 3 females, who had been defrauded under the pretense of high-paying Oil and Gas positions.
The victims were charged between N650,000 and N850,000 after being promised jobs with earnings in US dollars.
The suspects had arranged fake interviews and held the victims captive while subjecting them to additional fraudulent activities aimed at recruiting more victims. New recruits were charged USD 25 for registration, with an online platform created for managing their fake accounts.
Items seized from the syndicate’s base included mobile phones, laptops, industrial fans, generators, and office furniture, all used to create a facade of legitimacy.
In a separate case, the Rivers State Police Command also arrested Prince Ogbonda, 24, for child abduction. Ogbonda was apprehended in Port Harcourt on September 13, 2024, after abducting a 16-year-old girl from Enugu.
The victim has been rescued and is receiving medical care.
(PUNCH Metro
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