Two Brothers Arrested For Allegedly Impersonating FCT Commandant Of NSCDC On Facebook

Two brothers have been arrested in connection with the creation of a fake Facebook page to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

They were apprehended seven months after a manhunt was launched for internet fraudsters who created a fake Facebook account for the FCT Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Olusola Odumosu.

Speaking at the parade of the two brothers, Henry Ushie Odep, 34, and Emanuel Ushie Odep, 23 years, at the FCT Command of the NSCDC on Tuesday, Odumosu said: “You will recall that some time in September, 2023, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) alerted the public in a press release of the existence of a fake Facebook account opened by an individual in the name of Commandant Olusola Odumosu, FCT Command

“This effort became necessary to distance myself from the aforementioned Facebook account so that unsuspecting Nigerians did not fall into the hands of fraudsters.

“After discovering the fake Facebook account, I directed the intelligence and investigation team, as well as the Anti-Fraud unit, to identify the person(s) responsible.

“Today, I am pleased to inform you that the manhunt, which began approximately 7 months ago, followed by a well-coordinated covert operation by my men, with the assistance of our counterparts in Delta and Anambra State Command, has finally paid off, as we have in our custody the masterminds behind the fraudulent Facebook account.

“They are Henry Ushie Odep, 34 years old, from Cross Rivers, and Emanuel Ushie Odep, 23, from Cross Rivers State.

“One of the suspects, Emmanuel Ushie, was the first to be apprehended after being lured to Abuja. He made a very useful confessional statement, which led to the arrest of Henry Ushie Odep, his elder brother, who happened to have the phone used to operate the fake Facebook account on him at the time of arrest in Asaba, Delta State.

Emmanuel admitted that his brother, Henry Ushie Odep, is a yahoo boy who created the fake Facebook account named Olusola Odumosu as soon as he was appointed FCT Commandant in August 2023.

He admitted to withdrawing funds sent to the Opay account by his brother (Henry) via POS machines until he was apprehended by FCT Command officers in Abuja.

“On his part, Henry Ushie Odep stated that he began online fraud in 2016 and was the one who duped his younger brother, (Emmanuel Ushie), into the fraudulent act because he was bothering him for (small) funds. He admitted to defrauding many unsuspecting Nigerians out of large sums of money in cyberspace under various aliases.

“He also revealed that he is the same person who defrauded so many people through a fake Facebook account opened in the name of the late Helen Amakiri, an Assistant Commandant General eight years ago (2016).

“This is just one of the many accounts they have impersonated and duped.”

Odumosu continued, “Investigation revealed that they operate Opay, moniepoint, and Palmpay accounts to receive money from unsuspecting individuals, but no bank account with traditional commercial banks. They also used two accounts belonging to Victory Chinagorom, who, according to them, had no idea they were committing cyber fraud.

According to Henry, his friend, Chibuike Okorie introduced him to cybercrime. Chibuike is currently in Kuwait, having relocated from Nigeria.

The following people, Amadi Chisom (F) 31 years old and Mrs. Okafor Evelyn (F) 24 years old, whose names were discovered during the investigation and arrested alongside the main suspect, were granted bail pending when they would be required in the course of prosecution. This is because findings revealed that they had no knowledge of the crime committed by Emmanuel and Henry Ushie.

He stated that items recovered from the suspects included a Moniepoint POS machine, an Opay POS machine, a Tecno spark 10 phone, a Tecno pop 8 phone, and an Infinix phone.

He added that the investigation is still ongoing, and that once completed, they will be prosecuted in accordance with the applicable laws.