How Policemen Extorted N6million From BDC Operator, Detained Him For Alleged Fraud
The Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), Alagbon Police Station, Lagos State, has been embroiled in an allegation of extortion to the tune of N6million from a suspect, Mr. Chinedu Ngwaka, a licensed Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, who was arrested and detained for weeks for alleged fraud.
It was learnt that Ngwaka was arrested and detained for two weeks at Alagbon Police Station (FCIID), following reports made by some of his customers following his failure to fulfill their deals.
A source from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said that SP Eze of Anti-Fraud Alagbon, made Ngwaka to pay N3 million on September 24, 2024 and another N3 million on September 28, 2024 during his two-week detention.
Ngwaka and his wife Uchenna are said to be licensed Bureau De Change operators. Their customers paid billions of Naira into their accounts for foreign currency transactions, and they also paid to their agent, one Mrs Titilayo Eboh who also is regular with the business.
However, Eboh had sent them a fake telex receipt and they forwarded same to their customers.
When the money could not be cleared, their customers came after them and they reported the case to IRT Abuja.
Eboh was arrested and detained; she made an undertaking and gave them a cheque to cover the value of the money.
After she was released from September till now, no kobo has been credited to the customers. Some of the customers reported to the FCID Alagbon.
It was reported that Eboh, who reportedly claimed to have ties with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), had been accused of defrauding several Bureau De Change (BDC) operators of more than N9billion.
Ngwaka and his wife, Uchenna Ejindu, had in a petition through their counsel, Ben Okezie, Esq., to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, dated September 6, made a complaint against Mrs Eboh and her husband, Mr Livinus Eboh.
When contacted the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, he said, “I can assure you that on May 26, last year she was arraigned before Justice Bature of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on three charges: obtaining money under false pretenses, foreign exchange malpractice, and money laundering to the tune of two hundred and two billion naira.”
Oyewale had added that the matter is in court and the EFCC is actively following up, adding that any new offences she may have committed will be included in the amended charges.
Efforts to reach Mrs Titilayo Eboh were unsuccessful, as she did not respond to calls or messages.
However, when her husband, Mr. Livinus Eboh, was contacted, he denied his involvement but admitted that his wife did business with Ngwaka and other complainants but lamented the terrible state of his wife’s health.
However, customers who paid money to Ngwaka reported him at the Alagbon Police Station (FCIID) and was arrested and detained for two weeks.
An official of the National Human Rights Commission said, “After their investigations, the police confiscated his vehicle, blocked his account and his wife’s account as well.
“Instead of the IPO to release him, the IPO collected N3 million from his family. While on his way outside the Police gate, they arrested him on the account of a fresh petition from one of his customers.
“After four days in detention, they extorted another N3 million from his family, making it N6m. He petitioned my office and the matter is under investigation.
“CP Fraud Investigation, Simon, and two IPOs have been identified and spoken to about the investigation.”
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of Alagbon Police Station (FCIID), ASP Mayegun Aminat, denied knowledge of the alleged N6million extortion, questioning the purpose for which Ngwaka paid the money.
Aminat, who said that if it is true that Ngwaka gave the N6 million to the police officers as alleged, it must have been a bribe to cover up, confirmed the police publication of Ngwaka’s name and details online as a “serial” fraudster.
She claimed that Ngwaka is a wanted fraudster who is on police and EFCC wanted list, saying that he has never reported at the EFCC or the IRT in Abuja. She added that they had contacted the EFCC which confirmed that Ngwaka is on their wanted list for fraud.
