The Rivers State Police Command has successfully dismantled a notorious job racketeering syndicate that specialized in defrauding unsuspecting job seekers by advertising fake employment vacancies in the oil and gas sector.
The crackdown took place in the Igwuruta area of Ikwerre Local Government Area and resulted in the rescue of 16 victims who had been held hostage by the gang.
The operation was led by the police’s Octopus Strike Force, which responded to a distress call from concerned residents in the area, who suspected that a criminal operation was being run from a secluded compound.
Speaking on the successful raid, the State’s Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, said that the syndicate had been posing as employees of a fake company, Ojoseansel International Global Limited.
They lured job seekers by promising them lucrative employment opportunities in the oil and gas sector, with salaries purportedly paid in US dollars.
The victims were led to believe they had secured high-paying jobs, which led them to pay fees ranging from N650,000 to N850,000 to the fraudsters.
One of the key suspects arrested during the operation was Chukwudi Okoli, who had been posing as a senior employee of the fake company.
The syndicate had set up a complex scheme, using a hidden compound as their base, where they not only collected payments but also held the victims hostage.
According to CP Disu, “Preliminary investigations revealed that after extorting the victims, the syndicate detained them in a facility where they were closely monitored and subjected to ‘training sessions.’” These sessions were designed to condition the victims into furthering the scam by convincing their friends and acquaintances to fall for similar fraudulent job offers, which claimed to pay $450 per week.
During the operation, the police rescued 16 individuals—13 males and two females—who had been held against their will.
Among those rescued was Amiye Joseph, who shared his experience of being lured into the scheme alongside the other hostages.
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Police also recovered several items used by the syndicate to perpetuate the fraud, including laptops, mobile phones, generators, television sets, industrial fans, and office furniture. These tools were used to create an appearance of legitimacy to convince the victims they were dealing with a reputable organization.
Further details revealed that the gang operated by randomly selecting phone numbers and cold-calling potential victims. They invited them to Port Harcourt for interviews under the guise of offering prestigious job opportunities. Once the victims arrived, they were immediately extorted and detained in the compound where they were brainwashed and trained to assist in the fraudulent activities.
The police have vowed to continue their crackdown on criminal syndicates exploiting job seekers, particularly in Rivers State, and Commissioner Disu assured the public that investigations into the syndicate’s operations were ongoing.
“The command is committed to eradicating such fraudulent schemes and ensuring that those responsible for exploiting innocent citizens face the full weight of the law,” CP Disu emphasized
