A suspected fraudster, Joel Mba Okodu who escaped from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), after allegedly luring his friend to stand as surety for him has been arrested by the Rivers State police.

The suspect, who reportedly escaped to Lagos, was reportedly arrested by the EFCC over N50 million naira fraud.

The spokesperson in charge of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement on Sunday, said “Men of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested a suspect, Joel MBA Okodi, who has been wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for four years.”

“Joel MBA Okodi, popularly referred to as ‘Chief’, was resident at No.21, Abak Road Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria and is listed as a Director at Chismo Resources Limited, Ikot-Ekpene.”

The Rivers State police spokesperson added that “he had deceitfully collected the sum of 50 million Naira from one Chief Okosisi and was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after the case was reported.

“While the fraud case was being investigated, he coaxed another victim, Mr Ochulor Okeokwu, to stand as surety in the case.”

According to the police, “To secure the suspect’s release, Mr Okeokwu unsuspectingly tendered his house documents worth 50 million Naira as collateral at the EFCC Office in Port Harcourt.”

“After that, the suspect refused to turn up for investigations at the EFCC office and was nowhere to be found, evading phone calls. On the few occasions he was reached via phone calls, he violently threatened Mr Okeokwu to desist from calling him.”

Mr Okeokwu then proceeded to send a petition to the Inspector General of Police, who approved and forwarded it to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, who immediately sprang into action and mandated men of Operation Sting to ensure that the suspect was arrested in the shortest time possible.

The operatives of the Rivers State Police Command then proceeded to carry out a thorough Investigation and diligent finding to ascertain the location of the suspect as somewhere in Ajegunle, Apapa, Lagos where he had been in hiding all these years.

The operatives then submitted relevant policing documents, mobilised, and went to Lagos to carry out the arrest on 18/1/2024 at about 2034hrs at Ajegunle in Lagos.

The coordinated efforts to carry out the arrest reveal that there is truly no hiding place for criminals. The case is currently being handled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Olatunji Disu advised individuals to be cautious when standing surety. He warned that there would be no hiding place for criminals in the state. (Nigerian Tribune)

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