Christopher Oji
The Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has arrested a suspected notorious internet fraudster, Ezerim, 30.
The suspect who allegedly specialized in defrauding foreign nationals of their hard-earned monies was nabbed at Oke Aro area of Ogun State.
Daily Sun gathered that the suspect who is a native of Isi-Alambano area of Imo State was arrested recently after IGP Moahmmed Adamu received complaints from some of his victims who are based abroad.
Police sources disclosed that Ezerim, who is married with a child had been operating a fake Facebook account where he posed as a British businessman working in Malaysia and his targets are mainly Asian women who are active on the social media.
He would offer them business opportunities and marriage proposals. In the process, Ezerim would defraud the unsuspecting victims of their hard-earned monies.
A police officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, Ezerim had some Malaysians working for him, who normally provided bank accounts in which he used in extorting his victims. The officer said that his Malayisan syndicate usually got 30 percent of any money paid into their accounts.
Police sources disclosed that Ezerim ran into trouble when some of his victims discovered that he was a Nigerian disguising as a Bristish businessman on facebook and they wrote several petitions to the IGP who directed leader of IRT, DCP Abba Kyari, to track and arrest the suspect.
After weeks of searching for him, Ezerim was arrested in his hideout in Ogun State and during interrogation, Ezerim confessed to the crime.
The police recovered the laptop and phones which he allegedly used in carrying out the fraud .
Ezirim told Daily Sun that: “I am an internet fraudster and I joined the business when I traveled to Malaysia in the year 2010. I use facebook to defraud Asian women as I posed as Bristish man. I used to tell my victims that I love them and would like to marry them.
“When they fell in love with me, I would tell them that I wanted to visit them in their country but I would need some money to clear some issues. This women would send me the money. I have friends in Malayisa who used to pick the money and they would take their cut and send the rest to me. I have succeeded in building a house with the money I made from this business. I also bought a land in my village and I have two cars. I am sorry for all the crimes, I have committed. I hope the Government will forgive me and give me a second chance.”