Earlyface

The Benue State police command has arrested three suspected fake naval personnel in a hotel in Makurdi, the state capital.

The police also arrested a fraudster identified as Ayana Thaddeus Ushahemba who specialised in hanging around the two campuses of the Benue State University (BSU) Makurdi to steal credentials of newly admitted students.

The fake naval personnel were identified as Emmanuel Daniel Audu, 26, Adegoke Musbon, 25 and Idowu Abraham, 23. They have been fleecing job seekers of large sums of money in a bid to recruit them into the Nigerian Navy.

The police spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ezeala who disclosed this to LEADERSHIP, yesterday, said the three fake naval officials were arrested in  Nigerian Navy uniform, in Habitat Hotel located at Old GRA, Makurdi and that they confessed of being fraudsters who, according to him, have made above N2million from the illegal business between April 2012 and February 2013.

According to Ezeala, the other fraudster who claimed to be a 100 level student in the Department of Primary Education had stolen the credentials of one Mrs. Theresa Pilakyaa of First Bank, modern market branch who was waiting to be registered at BSU academic office. The syndicate would call such victims to deposit large sums of money to their bank accounts before the release of their certificates.

The police spokes person however pointed out that items recovered from the three fake naval personnel were two laptop computers, a printer, assorted academic credentials, Nigerian Navy letter head papers containing the names of the victims, three identity cards of the suspects in navy uniform, two GSM handsets and one Honda Civic Car with registration number BP 835 KUJ.

He maintained that the state commissioner of police, Mr. Chris Kakwe Katso has promised to ensure that crime was totally eradicated in the state.