Police burst fake Navy Recruitment Syndicate

On February 7, 2013, based on a tip off, a team of policemen attached to the Benue State police command arrested three fraudsters, including one Emmanuel David Audu, a dismissed naval personnel, residing at Block F Room 20, Abacha Barracks, Abuja, who is the leader of the gang and two others: Adegoke Musbahu and Idowu Abraham.

Force spokesman, CSP Frank Mba, said the three suspects, capitalising on the gullibility of unsuspecting Nigerian youths, chose to pull the wool over the eyes of members of the public by claiming to be naval officers engaged in recruitment exercise for the Navy.

According to him, at the time of their arrest, 11 persons already hoodwinked into believing they were on the verge of being recruited into the Nigerian Navy were with them.

Items recovered from them include: two laptops, three naval uniforms, one naval identity card bearing the name of the syndicate leader, documents capturing names of candidates and the sum of N100,000.00, which Audu admitted he collected from their victims at the rate ranging from N10,000 to N20,000 per candidate.

Mba said that the ring leader confessed that since he lost his job as a naval officer, he had taken to illegal recruitment and racketeering as his main source of income and livelihood.

He added that the case was still being investigated by the State CID, Makurdi, stating that it would be charged to court as soon as investigation was completed.

He advised members of the public to exercise due care and diligence in their quest for employment while job seekers were further encouraged to always cross-check and authenticate information relating to job adverts from appropriate authorities so as not to fall prey to fraudsters.

Source Nigerian Tribune