Not less than 11 Nigerian nationals have been nabbed by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police in Bangladesh for their alleged involvement in a Facebook scam.
The suspects were arrested by detectives following various operations carried out in different parts of Dhaka on Wednesday, the DMP said in a media briefing on Thursday, April 21.
The names of the Nigerian arrestees are: Henri Osita Okechukwu, Chisom Emmanuel Obiajulu, Okeke Peter, Obinna Sunday, Oneka Amba, Chisom Anthonoy Ekwenze, Okeyea Azubike, Anuyarah Ojuyemena Daniel, Anuruka Jinika Francis, Luke and Domado Chinedo.
Their Bangladeshi assistant has been identified as Chadni Akter, who used to help them as a fake customs official, concealing her real identity.
“The leaders of the fraud ring are Osita Okechukwu and Chisom Emmanuel. They used to maintain communication with their Bangladeshi accomplices and distribute the embezzled money among other members of the gang,” said AKM Hafiz Akter, an additional commissioner at DMP’s Detective Branch.
“The other members of the gang swindled people out of huge amounts of money with promises of expensive gifts and investment after developing a virtual friendship with fake Facebook ID as an American or European citizen.”
A dollar ‘trick’ machine, 17 phones, two laptops, chemical bottles and copies of warrants in various cases have been seized from their possessions.
In addition to Chadni, several Bangladeshi citizens are involved with the gang, Hafiz said, adding that legal action has been taken against the gang members.
The law enforcers have launched a manhunt to trace out other criminals, he added.