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By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa
The Zone 16 Command of the Nigeria Police Force has ordered the arrest and investigation of four of its personnel allegedly involved in abduction and extortion of N20 million from two alleged internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo boys in Bayelsa State.
The arrested Police personnel however confessed that two civilian accomplices, one Eyi Mattthew Excel, who contested the last State House of Assembly election under the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bayelsa and one Mayor Good luck Arab set up the Yahoo boys for the alleged extortion scam.
It was gathered that the accused policemen had stormed the residence of the Yahoo boys last Monday, who are indigenes of Bayelsa State but came in from Ghana, and “arrested them, with blind fold, to an unknown hotel in Azikoro town.
“They threatened to kill the boys and claimed someone from Ghana accused them of theft. They threatened to kill them if they don’t part with N50 million. The boys later succumb and agreed to part with N20 million. They took them to GTB and Access Bank and made two separate transfers of N7m and N13m.”
The most senior among the accused personnel is a Police Inspector.
While a report claimed the accused police personnel later offered their victim friendship and protection in Yenagoa and exchange numbers, others claimed the accused policemen asked for another 10 million few days later from the victims.
It was gathered that a friend of the victims who learnt about their ordeal decided to report to the Nigerian Police headquarters through the number advertised and it attracted the attention of police top enchelon.
Preliminary investigations showed that the AIG Zone 16, Benjamin Okolo was reported to have ordered the arrest of the accused personnel and additional facts revealed that the accused personnel’s action was without the knowledge of their superior officers.
A source claimed that “They were not members of a team. They work at various units but do shaddy deals together. In the past, they were nearly killed by some Military officers along Agbura road in Ogbia local Government area where they mounted illegal road block to extort oil bunkerers.”
Already, the accused police personnel have returned the N2.5 million they each made from the Yahoo boys extortion deal, while Eyi Mattthew Excel is reported to have returned his share of the deal but still at large. “The Mayor was arrested and granted bail but he has abscorded,” the source said.
Confirming the incident, the PPRO, Zone 16, SP Ikwo Kevin, said some fraudstars, known as Yahoo boys defrauded some foreigners of the sum of twenty-eight thousand dollars, which they went after them and got them arrested.
The fraudstars confessed to the crime and pleaded for leniency, but instead of them to do the needful, they compromised by collecting the monies from them, so when the AIG got wind of the matter, he ordered for their arrest and detention.
Our correspondent also gathered that the police got 10 million Naira while the informant got 10 million Naira of his own share, but has eventually returned 7.5 million Naira from his hideout and still on the run.
The monies they got were also recovered, while investigation is on.
