The Rivers State Police Command has announced the arrest of two suspects, Michael Onyedikachi and his acomplice, Akachukwu Benedict, for their involvement in an online scam targeting a Canada-based Nigerian.
According to the command, the case involved Sandra Austin, a Nigerian resident in Ontario, Canada, deceived by the suspects into transferring N110m over two years.
The command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday. Iringe-Koko explained that the scam began in February 2022 when Sandra received a Facebook friend request from an account named “Engineer Desmond Chibuike Okechukwu.”
The statement read, “Initially hesitant, Sandra eventually accepted the request, which led to frequent exchanges of messages.
The individual behind the account posed as an engineer capable of assisting her in constructing properties in Nigeria. “The fraud escalated when the suspect persuaded Sandra to move their conversations to WhatsApp, where he shared photos of luxury homes he claimed to have built in upscale areas like Ajah, Lagos State.
“Sandra expressed interest in one of the showcased properties, which the scammer claimed would cost N150m. Trusting his claims, she transferred a total of N110m to a provided bank account between 2022 and 2024.
“After making a final payment of N30m, she was abruptly blocked from all communication channels.” The scam caused Sandra’s blood pressure to spike, requiring hospitalisation.
Determined to seek justice, she contacted her family in Nigeria, who reported the matter to the police.
Following a petition to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, the case was referred to the C4i Intelligence Unit in Port Harcourt for a discreet investigation.
The statement continued, “The suspects attempted to intimidate Sandra to deter her from involving the authorities. However, the operatives, through intelligence-led policing, apprehended two suspects.”
The first suspect, 29-year-old Michael Onyedikachi from Nkanu West LGA in Enugu State, was arrested on August 14, 2024 in his bungalow in Ama-Okponike, Enugu.
