Brothers arrested for operating fake Foundation on Facebook with police spokesman’s identity
Joy Anyim
Three brothers, alleged to have been using the name of the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba, to run a fake Foundation on Facebook and a fraudulent bank account in FCMB, have been arrested by the police.
It was learnt that the brothers – Emmanuel Ushie, 23, Henry Ushie, 30, and Matthew Ushie, 28, had called for financial support from unsuspecting members of the public, under the pretext that they were raising money for the vulnerable during COVID-19.
According to the Mr. Mba, who paraded the suspects at Force headquarters, in Abuja, on Monday, the attention of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) was drawn to the scam by concerned persons, and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, immediately directed operatives from the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), to arrest the suspects.
Notorious for cyber fraud and impersonation, the suspects, it was learnt had also used the name of the Ghanaian Inspector-General of Police to defraud policemen in the country seeking for United Nations Peace Keeping opportunities, in 2019,
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They were alleged to have also pulled a fraud on Facebook, using the name of the IRT leader, Abba Kyari in 2017.
Mba said the gang leader, Henry, a graduate of Statistics from Anambra State University was arrested at his hideoit in Ihala, Anambra State.
He said, “During unrelenting manhunt of the fraudsters, Henry, the eldest sibling to Emmanuel was identified as the gang leader of the syndicate behind the scam.
“He went underground as his younger siblings also involved in the crime were arrested.
“Following weeks of intense follow-up and meticulous investigations, the kingpin – was arrested on June 21, at a hideout in Ihiala, Anambra State.
“Further investigation reveal that Mathew had been arrested in Ghana last year in a well publicised bust of fraudsters where he and other international fraudsters used the name of the Inspector General of Police of Ghana, John Kudalor, to defraud unsuspecting Ghanaian policemen in the guise of providing opportunity for them to attend United Nations peacekeeping mission using a fake Facebook account.
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“Similarly, Henry had also been arrested in 2017 by the IRT for impersonating then Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Abba Kyari, the Commander IRT, on Facebook and defrauding many innocent Nigerians before he was arrested and subsequently charged to Court for impersonation. He eventually got bail from the court and went back to same crime.”
The Force Spokesperson said the suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.
Mba also reiterated the commitment of the IGP to rid the country of all forms of crimes and criminality including cybercrimes.
He, therefore, urged citizens to redirect their energy to the positive utilisation of the cyberspace, cyber resources, social media, and shun their related negative influences.
