Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Udochukwu, 12, has narrated how he ended up in a Yahoo training centre in Lagos, after he was arrested.
Munachi said prior to his arrival in Lagos, he lived with
his parents in Anambra State. However, following the de@th of his father, who
was the sole breadwinner, he was introduced to the gang who operates the
facility.
He said: “I was woken up one early morning by the news of
the sudden de@th of my father who left home for his business place the previous
day.
“His de@th shattered my dreams of a promising carrier in future as I was made
to drop out of school since the proceed from my mother’s petty trading business
was not enough to sustained the family.
“Then, not knowing what to do, my mother approached a friend
of hers, for financial support, but rather she introduced my mother to a gang
that was recruiting young boys in the East into internet fraud.
“To her, the prospects was good as she believed that in less
than one year, her young son would be rich enough to shoulder the burden and
that her worries will be over.
“The only thing that stood against the thought of a lavish
lifestyle is the money to buy me a laptop, data and some few other items.
“Not wanting to fail again, she quickly, without thinking of
the possible dangers ahead, sold the only land that was given to my father by
his family to raise the fund,” he confessed to a team of detectives from the
State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Panti where he was being
detained.
Munachi explained that few weeks later, he arrived Lagos
along with three others and that they were enrolled into the internet training
centre where they will be taught how to swindle unsuspecting foreign and local
businessmen.
He continued: “At first, we were shown different romance
online sites and how we can capture those seeking sexual pleasure for a token
in dollars.
“We all had different roles to play in the quest to defraud
a would-be client. We must perform our part perfectly, failure of which
attracts severe beating. You are made to stay without food if the stake is
high.
“I have only spent few months before we were arrested by the
police. Most of the money we made goes to our teachers. The only thing we were
given is food. Those who have graduated gets a fraction of the proceed from a
successful deal.”
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, who
confirmed their arrest at a press conference held at the command headquarters,
identified operators of the facility as ChibikeIheijika 923) Stanley Iheijika
(22), Obiora Oyedibe (26) and Emmanuel Onedibe (25).
CP Jimoh, who was represented by the command’s spokesman,
CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, gave the names of the trainees as Okorie Henry, Otoh
Chisom (20), Okeke Kwufrochukwu (26), Uchenna
Obeji (26), Munachi Udochukwu (12) and Chinedu Ukachukwu (23).
Speaking at the conference, Hundeyin said operatives of the
command successfully uncovered and dismantled an illegal internet fraud
training facility, commonly referred to as “Yahoo School”, operating in the Iju
area of Lagos.
He stated that during the operations, detectives of the
command arrested 10 suspects, four of which are the yahoo experts, who were
running the notorious school.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the principal
suspects of the facility recruited the trainees from Anambra State, engaged
them to commit internet fraud and other related crimes.
“The proceeds from their fraudulent activities were being
confiscated by the principal suspects. All suspects have been transferred to
the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba for further discreet
investigation and prosecution.
“Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the sponsors who financed
the trainee’s enrolment in the school, as well as the owner of the facility
where the cranial and illegal activities took place,” he added.
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