Six cybercrime suspects arrested in Rivers

Six suspects have been arrested for their alleged involvement in cybercrime by police officers of the Zone 16 Command with headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, PUNCH Metro has learnt.

A statement on Thursday by the Zonal Police Relations Officer, Mr Emonena Gunn, said the suspects were arrested at the Progress Estate, Eneka, Rukpoku in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Wednesday.

The statement said the arrest was made by officers of the Zonal Anti-Money Laundering/Countering Financing Terrorism team led by CSP Isaac Uhawha.

He said the suspects who are all male are: Shimkayah Oju Ibor, 18; Jack Prosper, 22; Stephen Martins, 29; and Micah Douglas, 22, all from Rivers State while Emmanuel Chinedu, 34 and Uche Darlington Mark, 33, hail from Anambra and Abia states respectively.

Items recovered from them are one SUV Mercedes, white coloured

GLK 350 Mercedes Benz 2009 model, ritual items including spiritual soaps, three white containers, a red material cloth and oil, two laptops, phones and other electronic devices, and Canadian Loud (hard drug).

The statement said the recovered items “are believed to be instruments used in the syndicate’s cybercrime operations.

“The suspects upon interrogation confessed to have been involved in a series of fraudulent activities amounting to over N700m.

“The suspects will be arraigned in court and prosecuted once investigations are concluded.”

According to the police, “The suspects impersonated a Canadian actor named Keanur Weeves and defrauded a Finnish woman named Kirsi and an American lady named Brenda of €1,300 and $12,000 respectively.”

Gunn stressed that “the Zone 16 Command will continue to work closely with residents of Bayelsa and Rivers states to track and prosecute cybercriminals, combat cybercrime and other forms of trans-national organised criminal activities and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable under the Nigerian Law.”

The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 16 Command, Adebola Hamzat, commended the police operatives and reaffirmed the capabilities and expertise of the zone in tackling cybercrime and protecting the cyberspace within the area and beyond.