EFCC arrests 16 in Akure, Onitsha cyber cafe raids

Men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arrested 16 suspected cyber fraudsters as they raided cyber cafes in Akure, Ondo State and Onitsha, Anambra State.

While 10 were arrested in Akure, six were arrested in Onitsha where several units of computers were confiscated.

In Akure, apart from the ‘yahoo boys’, owners of some of the cafes were also arrested, while many computer sets and other accessories were impounded by the detectives.

The raid, which affected cafes on Oyemekun Road and Oba Adesida Road, according to sources, was part of efforts at eradicating internet fraud in the state.

This was said to have followed reports that the internet fraudsters that were chased away from Lagos, Ibadan and other cities had relocated to Akure.

Many of the victims were caught unawares by the invasion of the detectives, as they were said to be involving in the act when they were arrested.

The EFCC team was said to have arrived Akure on Monday and mixed with the customers of cafes notorious for cyber crimes.

Those arrested were later locked up at the cells of the “A” Division of the Ondo State Police Command.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Police Command, Mr. Adeniran Aremu, confirmed that the EFCC was in the town to carry out the operation.

In Onitsha, the EFCC men, who came in an unmarked Toyota Hilux van, cordoned off the road leading to the famous Main Market, pounced on the operators, who were browsing at the cafe, questioned and searched them.

The leader of the squad said they were on a routine check and would release the arrested persons after interrogations.

A source told the Nigerian Tribune that the EFCC officials were acting on a tip off, adding that the cyber cafe had of late become a haven for youths who storm the place daily to send and access scam mails.

As Yahoo Boys take over Edo cybercafes

Despite efforts by government to stamp out internet fraud, many Nigerian youth, particularly in Benin City, Edo

State, still engage in the crime, writes Uchechukwu Olisah.

Despite fforts by the Nigerian government to eradicate financial fraud, particularly the one known in local parlance as

419 or advance fee fraud, in the country through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the scam

perpetrated through the internet is still on the rise.

Nowhere else is this rise more pronounced than among youth who, for dearth of appropriate nomenclature, have

found the business very lucrative. The youth, majority of them post-primary school leavers, undergraduates of

tertiary institutions and fresh graduates of such institutions, are the ones mainly involved in this scam business.

In Benin City, the Edo State capital, financial fraud and the perpetrators, known as Yahoo Boys, have taken over

cybercafés. Any cybercafé one enters in Benin City is bound to enjoy the patronage of these boys usually found

tapping away on computer keyboards, sending all sorts of scam letters, claiming or answering to names other than

their real ones and posting fake photographs of themselves on the web.

Besides, these Yahoo Boys, in the course of telephone conversations with their potential or actual victims, whom

they variously refer to as mugu or maga, alter their vocal chords in manners that make them speak in alien accents.

Yahoo Boys spend up to 10 hours between the mornings and late evenings, almost everyday in cybercafés. They also

engage in what is called night browsing, which is usually from 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. the next day, committing all

manners of internet crimes.

The activities of these 419ners deny persons or groups who want to engage in legitimate business on the internet the

opportunity of carrying out their businesses to satisfactory level through theier occupation of most internet-enabled

computer systems in cybercafés and spending longer time on the systems.

However, while persons or groups engaged in legitimate internet businesses groan for the lack of adequate time and

space, the operators of such cybercafés smile to the banks on account of the quick and fat returns on their

investments and patronage by Yahoo Boys.

What is responsible for the society’s degeneration into this abyss of iniquity? Mr. Emmanuel Obe, a journalist, said “it

is a product of the moral and economic decay in the society.”

According to him, “youths are no longer taught the virtues of hard work and due process while growing up because

parents and guardians are too busy to attend to the moral upbringing of the children. They also do not monitor the

children’s progress in school.”
Obe suggested that because of the high level of unemployment in the land combined with the high activity and

awareness rates, young people could not find things to do with their hands and heads, and so, they switched over to

these scam activities which he said had paid off handsomely for a good number of people.

“Although not all of them eventually make it, the fact that they have seen some of them make it through the foul

means keeps their spirits high. The situation is made worse by the rapid acquisition of the knowledge and use of

information and communication technology (ICT) which, of course, is what the financial world depends on for swift

business transactions,” he said.

Obe said the economic implication of this organised scam could be the jeopardisation of genuine international trade

between Nigeria and other foreign countries and between Nigerians and foreigners.
This, he pointed out, was because the Yahoo Boys would have duped these foreigners and, by that, wane these

potential foreign investors’ confidence in the country.

“And so, genuine growth and foreign investment will be hampered,”he said, adding, however, that “it should be a

challenge to policy makers to see how they can convert the skills acquired in computers by these youngsters to more

positive engagements.”

Talking with a scam artist

by Mark Roberts/The Advance

The Queens County Advance editor, Mark Roberts pretended to be interested in renting an apartment from a ‘Priest’ in Nigeria. The apartment is actually a house owned by Liverpool resident, Linda Lane.

Hi,

Regarding the ad in the paper, that’s a good price. Where is the house? Is there a number I can call?

Thank you,

Mark

My name is Rev. Kelvin King. First i would like to know the newspaper where you saw the ad? it is just a 2 bedroom house for rent, so let me know if this is what you wanted.Do you have a phone number I can call you on?

Hi,

Thanks for getting back so quick. 902-354-####. It was in The Advance and I’m interested.

Mark

Hello,

Thanks for your interest in my property. I am Rev. Kelvin King and i own the property you seek.I am on a missionary call to West Africa and thats why am looking for a responsible person that can take a very good care of it.I am not in particular about the money,all I need is a God fearing person that will see my property as his or her own.

I am willing to accept a damage deposit of $400.The rental is for long term rent because I will not be back till next two years with the new trend of event now.

Hi again,

I assume when you say animals are allowed dogs are ok.

Mark

Yes,dogs are ok.

I will be more than willing to let you move in asap because I dont want the house to remain there just like that. I need your address where the keys and the papers will be sent to via fedex for you to view the inside of the house and possibly move in immediately having deposited the damage/security deposit requested of you. My house is well furnished as you will not need any furniture while moving in. I could send the pictures of the inside to you if you demand for it as the keys are here with me in West Africa and once I get the deposit, I will immediately go to any nearest FEDEX outlet here to send the keys and the papers to you.

Here’s a brief description of the house:

Beds: 2

Baths: 1

Kitchen:1

Square ft:1028

Location: Liverpool,NS

Utilities:Cable,Air conditioning,Laundry,Dishwasher.

Looking forward to hear from you with name and address,so that i can have it in my file incase of issuing the payment receipt and lease agreement and contacting you. Please i am giving you all this base on trust and hope you do take care of my property and God bless you more as you do this.

Hi,

I would like to see the photos. Can I see the outside as well by getting the address? I need a place by the first of September if that’s okay.

Mark

The address is :## Brookdale cresent, Liverpool, NS. I actually intended selling the property, but on a second thought i decided to rent it out to a God fearing person that would take care of my property while I’m away. I trust you could do just that, judging from your words.

Please take a drive and let me know if you are still interested.Look forward to your reply tomorrow.

Also, attached are the pictures you requested for.

The peace of the Lord be with you.

Rev.Kelvin King

Hi,

It looks nice. I’m a single dad with two kids so the price is good too. Do I give the money to you or some guy reping you here?

Mark

I am yet to know how the payment will get to me but I am going to do my findings on how to get payment here and will get back to you as soon as possible.

Remain Blessed,

Rev. Kelvin King.

I have been able to find out through my office clerk that the only way to receive money as soon as possible is by Western Union Money Transfer.If this is okay by you,you can make the payment using this information:

Name: Nwosu Edwin

Location:St Peter Catholic Church,

CityCountry: Lagos Nigeria

Secret Question: Who do you believe in

Answer: God

As soon as you make this transfer you are to send to me,the Money Transfer Control Number(MTCN),a 10 digits number,sender’s name and the exact amount sent.I will also need your name,address for me to make out the lease agreement and send as earlier stated through FEDEX.Remember I am not in particular about the money,but you taking good care of the house.I will be happy if you can move in asap,as I don’t want to continue leaving the house empty.

I hope to read from you soon.

Hi,

I’m a little worried about sending my money overseas. On a tight budget and all that. How do I know this is legit? Are you a missionary and have you ever served in a church over here?

Thank,

Mark

This is legit, I am a parish priest guided by the Christian doctrine.As soon as you send the damage/security deposit i would send the lease papers and keys through FedEx and give you the tracking number to monitor the delivery progress.I served briefly in St.Gregory’s Roman Catholic Church.Let me know if you are still interested in renting the place so we could proceed.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Rev. Kelvin King.

Father Brian Murphy confirmed he didn’t serve at the church.