Rebecca Ejifoma
The Police in Lagos has arrested a middle-aged man identified as Asabor Joel for impersonating Senator Andy Ubah on Facebook to swindle job seekers of their money.
Sources said the suspect had smartly opened a Facebook account with the Senator’s photograph and entered into chats with unsuspecting job seekers asking them to pay certain amount of money to secure employment in one of the oil companies.
Accordingly, the arrest, which was said to have taken effect on Monday, June 18 this year at Oghara, Delta State by crack detectives attached to ‘Area D’ Command Headquarters Mushin followed a strong worded petition by one Charles Asugha on behalf of one Chinelo Nnedimma.
It was further learnt that after the Facebook ‘Senator Andy Ubah’ successfully duped the complainant of N300,000.00, she was directed to contact another law maker named ‘Nkiruka’ for further discussion with a view to getting more money from her.
This development, however, raised the victim’s suspicion.
Notwithstanding, a source close to his office, who confirmed the arrest, said the suspect confessed to the crime already.
“The petitioner alleged that sometime last December one unknown person presented himself via a facebook account as Andy Ubah, Senator of the federal Republic of Nigeria with the Senator’s picture.â€
During one of the chats, he claimed to be a person of influence at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to secure job for the petitioner, who then paid N300,000.00 via account name Asabor Joel to his First Bank 3069996606.â€
After the collection, the suspect gave an ‘Andy Ubah’ an instruction to call one Nkiruka (a honourable) with phone number 0811868970; all were found to be another prank to obtain more money from the petitioner.
When THISDAY contacted the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, he confirmed the arrest of the suspect and all those behind the account.
“Those behind the Facebook account to dupe unsuspecting Nigerians have been arrested. They are right now in our detention and further investigation is ongoingâ€.
