The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Lagos Zonal Office, has arrested five alleged internet fraudsters for their involvement in internet-related fraud, including a famous skit maker and self-acclaimed social media influencer who uses the name Adedamola Adewale a.k.a @adeherself.
The five suspects were apprehended in different areas of Lagos during a raid by operatives.
According to the EFCC, the social media influencer who originally goes by the name Lamina Hamzat Ajibola, had been an accomplice to Adewale and both were arrested at the Agungi area of Lekki, Lagos State, while the trio of Israel Onyebuchi, Emmanuel Olayode and Valentine Nwokorie were picked up at the Ibeju-Lekki area of the state.
“The arrest of Adewale and Ajibola was sequel to intelligence linking them to online fraudulent activities with two brothers, Lasisi Wasiu Adeleke and Lasisi Riliwan Adeniyi, who are at large. They were arrested at a four-bedroom duplex belonging to the two run-away fraudsters,” the EFCC said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Intelligence also linked them with alleged flamboyant lifestyles. During interrogation, Adewale, a self-acclaimed model, who goes by the username @adeherself on Instagram, confessed to being a picker” in cybercrimes.
“He usually poses as a lady to hoodwink her foreign preys,” the statement added.
Items recovered from the suspects include two Toyota Camry 2009 model cars, and a sum of N9,000,000.00 (Nine Million Naira only), which was found in Adewale’s account.
According to the EFCC, the other suspects; Onyebuchi, Olayode and Nwokorie were arrested for their alleged involvement in a romance scam.
They were arrested during another raid, following a separate intelligence.
Investigation revealed that Nwokorie was posing as a female American citizen and sending photos as a porn star to defraud his victim while Onyebuchi was engaging in a love scam as well as forging foreign cheques.
Items recovered from the suspects include laptops and mobile phones and according to the anti-graft agency, all the suspects will soon be arraigned once investigations are concluded.
