Troops of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army in Benin on Monday, uncovered the hideout of an internet fraudsters and ritualists syndicate in Benin, Edo State capital.
Acting on a tipoff, the troops, led by the Brigade Commander, Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Oduyebo stormed a building within First Bank Estate, called Awesome Garden, along the Benin-Sapele Bypass in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area.
Thirty-one persons suspected of engaging in cybercrime and ritual-related crimes were arrested at the facility.
It was gathered that the arrested suspects have been handed over to the Edo State Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further interrogation and possible prosecution.
Items recovered from the scene include a Toyota vehicle, several smartphones, laptops, cash, a pot containing fetish materials, and other incriminating valuables linked to ritual and cybercrime activities.
Preliminary investigations revealed that some of the suspects were lured to the location by the syndicate’s leader, identified as Mr. Marvin Osabhuoyen, who is currently on the run.
Osabhuoyen is said to have promised his victims lucrative job offers abroad, only to force them into a web of criminal operations, including kidnapping, armed robbery, and cyber fraud.
The victims were from different parts of the country and had been held in the building for periods ranging between one and two years without freedom of movement, living under fear and manipulation.
The Public Relations Officer, 4th Brigade, Captain Chinoso Oteh, when contacted, confirmed the arrest.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Oduyebo has commended the troops and other collaborating security agencies for their bravery, vigilance, and continued commitment to keeping Edo State free of criminal elements.
“The Brigade remains fully committed to its mission of ensuring safety and security for all residents of Edo State. This operation is a clear warning to criminal syndicates that their days are numbered,” he noted.
PUNCH
