The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Enugu Zonal Directorate, has launched an investigation into a 38-year-old man, Raheem Abiodun Wasiu, over an alleged $12,000 fraud involving Bureau de Change (BDC) operators in the South-East.
Wasiu was arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following a complaint from Ezekulie Stanley Chukwuamuanya, a BDC operator who alleged that the suspect defrauded him of $5,000.
According to the EFCC, preliminary investigations indicate that Wasiu allegedly targeted BDC operators across the South-East and Akwa Ibom State using a similar pattern.
The Commission alleged that the suspect rented Toyota Hilux trucks, presented himself as a wealthy contractor, moved around with escorts and approached BDC operators to obtain foreign currency.
He allegedly made payments by presenting fake naira transfer alerts after collecting dollars from his victims.
Chukwuamuanya told investigators that Wasiu counted the $5,000 he had handed over before requesting his bank details.
“After giving him my account number, he mentioned my name that popped up on his bank application, I confirmed it. The next thing he told me was that it had gone through, which I waited for the alert to come, to no avail,” he said.
According to the petitioner, Wasiu later attributed the delay to network problems and asked him to leave, after which he allegedly became unreachable.
Another petitioner, Chief Nwaoha Ubaferem from Owerri, Imo State, alleged that he lost $7,000 to the suspect.
Ubaferem said he initially had $2,600 but contacted his office to provide an additional $4,400 after Wasiu requested the full $7,000.
He said the transaction was eventually moved to Royce Road, where Wasiu allegedly collected the money and claimed that the transfer had been completed.
“I continued to expect alert from him,” Ubaferem said.
The EFCC said further investigations showed that Wasiu had allegedly travelled to several locations across the South-East and Akwa Ibom State, where he reportedly used the same method to target BDC operators.
Several items were recovered from the suspect during the investigation, including a Toyota Hilux truck with registration number KTR 379 AA, various bank ATM cards, transfer tokens and a digital National Identification Number slip bearing the name Sunday Abiodun.
Other recovered items include complimentary cards identifying him as “Engineer Abiodun”, an iPhone 17 Pro Max, a Samsung phone, a 4G pocket Wi-Fi device, a Patek Philippe wristwatch, an Emporio Armani designer bag, a gold bangle, a pair of Alexander McQueen shoes and vehicle documents.
The EFCC said the suspect would be charged to court after the conclusion of its investigation.
