According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), eight suspects are currently being held in the Edo Police Command for alleged attempted fraud.
The suspects were arrested for allegedly attempting to defraud the Federal Government of $2 billion dollars, according to SP Chidi Nwabuzor, command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), who briefed reporters on Tuesday.
He also stated that the arrest followed a complaint received by the command’s crack team on April 25 via a petition from one High Chief Richard David, a representative of the Okpella community in the state’s Etsako Central Local Government Area.
He explained that on July 14, 2021, the suspects appeared before the complainant and his relatives and informed them that they had received approval from the Federal Government, via the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), to evacuate scrap bore-hole pipes equipment worth $2 billion.
“The equipment was provided by the Federal Government through the Petroleum Trust Fund for the Okpella water project” (PTF).
“The frightened members of the community wisely prohibited the items from being evacuated.
“However, one of the suspects went to the Okpella police station to report that the community refused to allow them to evacuate the items.
“During the investigation, one of the suspects, who works for the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs in Abuja, confessed to the truth of the matter,” the police said.
“The accused also admitted to forging the presidency’s approval for the operation’s auctioneer documents.”
“The investigation is over, and the suspects will be charged in court shortly,” Nwabuzor said.
CP Abutu Yaro, the Edo Commissioner for Police, had created operations department annexes to bring police visibility to communities and grassroots, according to the PPRO.
This, he continued, demonstrated that the CP was well-versed in policing operational orders.
Residents of the state were urged to assist the command by “saying something when they see something” about suspected criminals and criminal activities.
Meanwhile, one of the suspects, a member of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs’ staff and a Principal Administrative Officer, claimed to be the sole author of the fake document.
“I am the sole originator of the forged document purporting to be from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” he claims (SGF).
“The plan was developed in collaboration with IREK Engineering LTD, a company based in Benin.
“I got the letter from the wrong side because the documents addressed to the Edo Governor, the Edo Commissioner of Police, and all relevant security agencies were forged.”
He revealed that the only money he received as a token of appreciation for his efforts throughout the process was N500,000.
