Rita Odafe
Authorities apprehended four individuals posing as officers from the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Akwa Ibom State. They were caught during an endeavor to abduct a victim and demand a ransom of N150 million.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command disclosed that the suspects are Emmanuel Augustine Akpayak, 27, Echem Ovurizichi Weneka, 27, Promise Udofia, 28, and Jeremiah Johnson Okon, 38.
CP Waheed Ayilara, the Commissioner of Police, stated that Emmanuel Akpayak orchestrated the kidnapping of the victim who he owed over N12 million.
Evidence showed that Emmanuel Augustine Akpayak planned the abduction and potential murder of the victim by employing armed individuals and acquiring EFCC vests/uniforms for the operation.
During a search at Akpayak’s residence, four pairs of EFCC vests were found. The victim was involved in a car sales transaction with the suspect and was owed N12 million. To avoid repayment, Akpayak attempted to extort N150 million from the victim through kidnapping and planned murder, but the scheme was thwarted.
Akpayak claimed that the victim was a business associate to whom he was indebted. Allegedly, the victim had associates who threatened Akpayak.
After failed attempts to resolve the debt issue amicably, Akpayak resorted to procuring EFCC vests from an online supplier and provided them to his accomplices who posed as EFCC officials to apprehend the victim and demand N150 million as ransom.
The Commissioner also presented suspected advance fee fraudsters who had been deceiving POS operators in Uyo and its environs.
According to a statement from the Command, a victim reported a fraudulent incident involving POS syndicates who tricked her into losing N320,000 during a transaction at her POS stand. The suspects have been arrested, confessed to the crime, and provided valuable information.
