The Benue State Police Command has said it uncovered an Internet fraud or ‘yahoo yahoo’ training centre in Makurdi, the state capital. This operation resulted in the arrest of 31 suspected members of various criminal syndicates operating in the state.
Addressing the media at the Command Headquarters in Makurdi, the State Police Commissioner, Mr Steve Yabanet, disclosed that the investigation into fraudulent activities led to the discovery of a fraud academy and the operations of internet fraudsters in the Akpa-Quarters area of Makurdi.
The commissioner explained that the raid on the training centre led to the apprehension of two suspects, Terpase Denmodi and Avalumun Ayangekaa, who confessed to training students in cyber fraud. Items recovered from the suspects included laptops, printers, cash, passports, and assorted clothing.
The police operation also targeted other criminal activities, resulting in the arrest of eight suspected internet fraudsters in a Makurdi hotel and three members of a kidnapping gang operating in the area.
Mr Yabanet stated that the crackdown also led to the dismantling of a kidnapping gang operating along the Makurdi-Naka road, which had terrorised motorists and abducted individuals for ransom. The gang’s modus operandi involved blocking the highway, robbing motorbike operators, and kidnapping victims for extortion.
The commissioner urged citizens to provide relevant information on criminality in the state.