Police smash cybercrime academy in Benue, arrest over 14 suspects

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Benue State Police Command has busted a gang of cybercrime fraudsters operating a Fraud Academy in Makurdi, Benue State capital and arrested eight (8)members after a shootout.
The command also paraded other 27 suspects for various offences which ranged from robbery and kidnapping to cultism and rape among others.
Parading the suspects before journalists at the command’s headquarters in Makurdi, during his maiden Press briefing, the new Commissioner of Police, CP Hassan Steve Yabanet, said police received information about a fraud academy and operators of internet fraudster in Makurdi, at Jerome Hwande Street Akpa-Quarters, Makurdi and detectives were detailed to investigate the case.
He added that on 14/5/2024 at about 0600hrs, his men stormed the house and arrested one Terpase Luke Denmodi ‘m’ 23yrs and Avalumun Ayangekaa Dominic ‘m’ 24yrs, recovered seven (7) HP laptops, one (1) Apple note, one (1) Cannon printer, fifteen (15) notes of Ghana cedis, two international passports, assorted cloths among other items from them.
CP Yabanet said the suspects confessed to the crime, admitting that, “most of their victims are foreigners and they have students usually trained in the fraud business at the house and they share proceed of fraud with them as they go out to practice”.
He stated that on 14/05/2024 at about 1900hrs, information was gathered about fraudsters lodging in a hotel along Kashim Ibrahim road, Makurdi, the team of Policemen from Cybercrime Section swung into action and raided the hotel where eight (8) suspects were arrested in a room.
The commissioner who gave the names of those arrested to includes; one Usman Aliu ‘m’ 30yrs, Orga Israel ‘m’ 24yrs, David Tersoo ‘m’ 24yrs, Aondofa Michael ‘m’ 23yrs, Tega Wisdom ‘m’ 25yrs, Alexander Torgbenda ‘m’ 21yrs, Emmanuel Idyede ‘m’ 23yrs and Elvis Francis ‘m’ 26yrs.
He said investigation revealed that the suspects were internet fraudsters who have many social medial handles on their phones that they use to defraud people of their monies.
He further stated that on 06/05/2024 at about 1400hrs while some motorcyclists were plying Makurdi- Naka road, a group of armed men blocked the highway and robbed them of their motorcycle and also kidnapped one other victim and collected two Million Naira from the family before the victim was released.