THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested 27 suspected online fraudsters in Osogbo, Osun State, after their hideouts were raided on Thursday.
According to a press statement obtained by The ICIR and signed by Tony Orilade, the EFCC’s Acting Head of Media and Publicity, four of the suspects were female.
“Officials of the Commission have embarked on weeks of surveillance, working on series of intelligence gathered on the activities of suspected ‘Yahoo Boys’ in locations across the city,” the statement said.
“The intelligence was found to be substantially credible, leading to the sting operation on Thursday.
“Among the arrested suspects are Adeleke Peter, Babalola Abiodun, Aduroja Temitope, Abdulazeez Razak, Adesina Adewale, Osayintoba Dare, Adebowale Fadairo, Abdulazeez Abdullahi, Akinseye Samuel and Osanyintoba Femi.”
Others were Austin Onyekachukwu, Oluwaseun Adesina, Ibosiola Olamilekan, Ayoola Lekan, Abdullahi Owopade, Olatunbosun Kolawole, Saheed Adebola, Osanyintoba Pelumi, Ayo Bello, Samuel Emmanuel, Olalekan Oladele, Solomon Mattew, Oyelude Opeyemi, Quadri Olatunji, Ibrahim Alao, Tunde Bello, and Fatolu Temitope.
“Eight exotic cars including two Lexus and six Toyota brands, as well as many costly phones and laptops, were among the items recovered in the course of the operation,” Orilade said.
The arrested persons claimed to be graduates, students, businessmen and computer engineers. The EFCC said it is currently interrogating them to confirm their level of involvement and that they will soon be arraigned.
'Kunle works with The ICIR as an investigative reporter and fact-checker. You can shoot him an email via [email protected] or, if you're feeling particularly generous, follow him on Twitter @KunleBajo.