The Ondo State police command says it arrested three suspects for alleged fraud involving a N23 million vehicle, £10,000 obtained under false pretences, and United Kingdom (UK) student visa scam.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, who made this known in a statement on Saturday in Akure, said the arrests were in separate cases, describing  the vehicle as a Mercedes-Benz GLE 350.

“In the first case, detectives attached to the Command Monitoring Unit arrested two suspects, identified as Bisi Vado ‘m’ and the other known as Small Autos ‘m,’ who allegedly paraded themselves as legitimate vehicle dealers.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects allegedly collected the vehicle from one Michael Oluwafemi ‘m,’ under the pretext of assisting him with the sale/importation of another vehicle from overseas.

 “The suspects also allegedly obtained an additional N4,000,000 from the complainant for the purported transaction. After the suspects took possession of the vehicle and the money, the duo allegedly failed to fulfil the agreement, and instead, converted the proceeds to their personal use, prompting the complainant to seek police intervention.

“Following diligent investigation and intelligence gathering, detectives of the unit apprehended the two suspects. The case is currently under investigation, while efforts are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the transaction and recover the alleged proceeds of the offence,” he said.

According to Mr Jimoh, the command also arrested one Gbenga Omileye ‘m,’ alleged to have defrauded one Akinjomo Peter ‘m’ of £10,000, equivalent to approximately N19,000,000, in a transaction dating back to 2022.

“The suspect allegedly collected the money from the complainant under the pretence of securing UK student visas for the complainant’s wife and niece. After receiving the payment, the suspect allegedly forwarded an admission letter to the complainant purportedly issued in connection with the proposed study arrangement.

“Subsequent checks, however, reportedly revealed that the admission letter was fraudulent. The suspect was subsequently arrested by detectives of the unit on August 31 following sustained investigative efforts into the complaint,” he said.

The spokesperson also said the state Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, commended the detectives for their diligence and commitment to unravelling cases of financial fraud, and bringing suspected offenders to justice.

He explained that the CP reiterated the command’s resolve for continued deployment of intelligence-driven investigation and proactive policing strategies to protect residents from fraudsters, and other criminal elements.

He stated, “The command, therefore, advises the public to exercise due diligence before entrusting individuals with large sums of money or valuable property, particularly in transactions involving vehicle importation, overseas travel, education, visas and other financial commitments.

“The suspects are currently being subjected to further investigation, and will be charged to court in accordance with the law upon conclusion of the investigation.”