Youth corps member arrested and remanded in prison for planning £12.5m scam

Ogbonna Victor Chibuzor, a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was charged on Monday with attempting a scam that would have fetched him £12.5 million from his targeted prey.

He was however arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before he completed the sting operation and was arraigned before Justice A. M. Liman of the Federal High Court, Enugu on a 5-count charge bordering on intent to defraud, and possession of fraudulent documents contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.

Ogbonna’s arrest was sequel to series of raids carried out by operatives over the past one week in which several suspected online fraudsters in their early 20s, were arrested having been found to be living a flamboyant lifestyle, not commensurate with any visible means of livelihood.

Analysis carried out on the computer of the suspected fraudster revealed certain incriminating documents intended to be used in swindling gullible Nigerians and foreigners alike. Further investigations disclosed that Ogbonna uses his e-mail address activitygeneral@hotmail.com to send unsolicited emails to his victims using fake or stolen identity to legitimize his nefarious activities.

One of the documents was addressed to one Alan Christopher of BG Group Plc, Thames Valley Park, Reading, RG6, Berkshire, United Kingdom, with a rider “Your attention is needed” and a second paragraph talking about a £12,500,000 (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling) unclaimed contract fund.

Another document found with the accused was a purported “Contract Award Certificate” to one Michael Morgan of 101 Brooklyn, New York, United State of America, on “Directing and Fixing of Oil Spillage” in the Niger Delta signed by the Chairman, Contract Tender Board and Chairman, Legal Department of Chevron Nigeria.

The Corps member pleaded “not guilty” to the charge preferred against him occasioning his counsel E.O. Isiwu to move a motion for bail. The application was opposed by prosecuting counsel, Innocent Mbachie. The presiding judge, however, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N500, 000 and one surety in like sum.

The surety, he ruled, “must have a landed property in Enugu which must be verified by the Commissioner of Lands”. Ogbonna is to be remanded in prison custody until he fulfils his bail conditions. The case has been adjourned till January 30, 2019.