The Nigerian Police Force, NPF has nabbed eight suspects who attempted to defraud the Federal Government of $2 billion. This was disclosed on Tuesday by the Edo state command of the Force, which said the suspects are now in its custody.
According to the state police command Public Relations Officer, PPRO Chidi Nwabuzo, a Superintendent of Police, the suspects which include a staff of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs in Abuja had tried to use fake documents purported from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF to perpetuate the fraud.
The suspects were arrested, Nwabuzor said following a complaint received by the crack team of the state command on April 25.
He revealed that the complaint was made via a petition by one Chief Richard David, a representative of Okpella community, in Etsako Central Local Government Area of the state.
The details of the botched fraud indicate that the suspects, on July 14, 2021, approached the complainant and his kinsmen saying they had secured a Federal Government’s approval from the SGF to evacuate scrap bore-hole pipes equipment worth $2 billion.
The equipment was meant for the Okpella water project by the Federal Government under the Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF.
Nwabuzor said, “The community people who were apprehensive wisely disallowed the evacuation of the items.
“This action by the Okpella people however prompted one of the suspects to go to the Okpella police station to report that the community refused them to evacuate the items.
“During investigation, the police uncovered the fact of the matter through the confession of one of the suspects, who is a staff of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Abuja.
“The said suspect also agreed to have forged the presidency approval for auctioneer documents for the operation. Investigation has been concluded and the suspects would soon be charged to court.”
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