Four suspects, including two bank employees, have been apprehended by the operatives of the Lagos State Police Command over alleged £138,924 (N277,848,000) bank fraud.
The suspects were identified as Shuaib Oluwatobiloba Olaleye, 27; Oladunjoye Adegoke, 33; Austin Alfred, 38, and Jude Uzobuaku, 36.
The Command stated that the suspects were arrested between March 12 and 13 for financial crimes.
They were alleged to be involved in the illegal transfer of the amount from the domiciliary accounts of international airlines domiciled in the affected commercial bank.
According to the Command, the suspects allegedly moved the money from the accounts of the real owners into the domiciliary account of a former employee of the bank before collecting the money.
This was disclosed by the State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, while briefing reporters on breakthroughs recorded by the Command in the last two weeks.
Jimoh stated that investigators have been assigned the case following a report from the commercial bank.
In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Benjamin Hundeyin, the Prime suspect, Olaleye was first arrested on March 12 in Ogun State. And a Toyota Camry 2012/2013 model suspected to be a proceeds of the crime was recovered from him.
“The following day, operatives arrested Adegoke in Victoria Island and a Toyota Camry (Pencil Light) was recovered from him.
“Further investigation led to the arrest of Austin Alfred, 38, the Supervisor, Trade Services Department and Jude Uzobuaku, 36, the Processor, Trade Services Department, who facilitated the illegal transfer of funds to foreign accounts provided by the main suspect. Investigation is in progress,” Hundeyin said.
The PPRO noted that a total of 26 suspects were arrested for various offences. Four firearms, 21 ammunition, six vehicles, a cutlass, phones, money and hard drugs recovered within the period under review.
Among the suspects arrested were Babatunde Ibrahim, 23, Michael Odova, 24, Seidu Abba, 20, and John Wisdom. All linked to Emmanuella Ogochukwu, 25, earlier apprehended for allegedly robbing her lover of N15 million worth of bitcoins and three iPhones at the Okota area of the State.
Hundeyin stated that the suspects were arrested at the apartment of Emmanuella’s brother, Wisdom, in Okota. He added that a local pistol, four cartridges and an axe were recovered from them.
The PPRO noted that operatives of the Command recovered Lar rifle with 12 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition. Also recovered is an SMG rifle without magazine inside a sack. The item was abandoned by suspected hoodlums along Aleke-Isiu, Imotu, Ikorodu, around 6 pm on March 21.
“Operatives on March 14, observed the suspicious movement of some boys, Emmanuel Cletus, 32, and Adegor Joshua, 27, at Sangotedo, along the Lekki-Epe Expressway, around 4 am.
“Upon searching them, an automatic pistol and five rounds of live ammunition were found in their possession.
“Suspects and exhibits have been transferred to the Command Headquarters for further investigation.
“The Command also arrested one Dolapo Ojo, 22, for allegedly receiving cars stolen from victims in the Southeast.
“His arrest followed an intelligence report that criminals were snatching vehicles from their owners in the Southeast. And bringing them to Lagos for sale,” the CP said.
The Command noted that one of the suspects, Ojo, was arrested in Ikotun. He had received three Lexus 350 2017 models through a woman currently at large.
“One Lexus 350, silver in color, was recovered. Further investigation led to the recovery of another Lexus 330, black in color, at Ojodu Berger.
“The suspect is currently assisting a team of operatives to recover the remaining two Lexus cars.
“All suspects are to be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation. We would like to use this medium to assure all residents and visitors to Lagos State that under CP Olohundare Jimoh, the low level of crime experienced in Lagos State will be sustained.
“We would once again like to appreciate the good people of Lagos State for their unwavering support. And for their continual provision of logistics and operational support to the Command and Government of Lagos State,” he said.