Ondo: Police arrest fake Army officer over N1.37m job scam

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a suspected fraudster, Abdullahi Saliu, who allegedly posed as a senior Army officer to defraud unsuspecting victims of over N1.37 million in a bogus employment racket.

Disclosing this, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the suspect was nabbed following a painstaking investigation ordered by the state Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal.

According to PPRO, Saliu, who lodged at Top Quality Hotel, paraded himself as a Colonel in the Nigerian Army and tricked two women, Oshoade Janet and Daisi Remilekun Joy, into believing he could secure jobs for their sons in the Nigeria Customs and Immigration Services. He allegedly collected a total of ₦1.377m from the victims, which he later diverted for personal use.

He said investigations revealed that the suspect’s fraudulent activities extended beyond Ondo State, with victims traced to Edo, Delta, and Kogi States.

According to him, the suspect had been on the police watchlist for years, saying he was notorious for impersonating top-ranking officers of the Nigerian Army, Navy, Customs, and Immigration Services to perpetrate scams.

He said, “The suspect has since been arraigned before Magistrate Court 1 for prosecution.”

The PPRO described the arrest as another major breakthrough in its crackdown on fraudulent activities across the state.

He, however, reaffirmed the commitment to safeguarding the lives and property of residents while ensuring fraudsters and other criminal elements face justice.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, lauded the support and strategic direction of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, which he said continues to inspire the Command’s successes.

The Ondo Police Command urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.

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