The Police Special Fraud Unit has arrested eight students, four members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and two others over alleged fraud.

The suspects between ages 18 and 28, were arrested on January 15 at Saapade in Ogun State, a statement by Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Johnson Eyitayo, said yesterday.

He said student union leaders visited the Commissioner of Police in charge of the unit on Monday for a dialogue in respect of the arrest.

According to Eyitayo, the delegation comprised leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), Association of Southern Nigerian Students (ASONIS) and GAPOSA Students Union Government.

The PPRO said those arrested were suspected members of an internet fraud syndicate operating within Lagos and Ogun states, adding that the eight students were schooling at Gateway Polytechnic, Ogun State.

He said the other two suspects claimed to be an artist and a cobbler.

?While addressing the concerns of the student union leaders, the Commissioner of Police emphasized the need for a sustained and robust synergy between members of NANS and the Police.

?He encouraged the union leaders not to compromise in defending their mandate to protect the welfare/interest of their members, stressing that the union must ensure that bad eggs are not shielded but handed over to the Police.

?The Commissioner of Police also advised the student union executives to educate their members to desist from cyber-crime which is tarnishing the country?s image and making it difficult for Nigeria to exit the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

?He enumerated the following as implications of Nigeria?s status on the FATF grey list: reduced foreign investment, increased cost of transactions, difficulties in transacting with other countries, increased regulatory scrutiny, loss of revenue for the government, undermining of financial markets, reduced cross-border transactions and loss of correspondent banking relationships among others?? Eyitayo said. (The Nation: Text, Excluding Headline)

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