Bizarre words from suspected fraudsters: •‘How can you convince a strange woman to drop N32m in your bank account if not for God’s favour?

The Sun NewsApr 29, 2023 12:09 AM

To two suspected fraudsters – Angustine Owuh and Idowu Oghaimeh – who were arrested recently for swindling a businesswoman of N34 million, fraud is a lucrative business.


To buttress their belief that fraud was no crime, one of the suspects enthused that as soon as their latest victim paid N32 million into his account, he knew that the grace of God was upon him.

The two, who are presently being interrogated at the Lagos State Police Command, under the order of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Idowu Owohunwa, insisted that no law, government or security agent could stop crime, especially advance fee fraud, also known as 419 or Yahoo-Yahoo.

The suspects, who admitted that they swindled their victims, wondered why their victim should go to the extent of reporting them to the police, instead of leaving judgment to God.


“That is what we expected her to do, to leave judgment for God and not to be chasing us with the police,” one of them thundered.

One of the suspects said: “Crime is a normal thing that people should learn to live with, knowing that there is no job in the country. And every young man knows that the only way to survive in Nigeria is through one crime or the other.

“The police, other security agencies and the governments should learn how to live with crime since they did not provide employment for the youths.”

Their journey into police custody started when a businesswoman (names withheld) reported to CP Idowu Owohunwa that she was swindled of the sum of N34 million by an investment company, which refused to pay her either her capital or interest as agreed, and the CP ordered the Police Command’s Special Squad 2 to investigate the matter.


The officer in charge of the squad, along with his team, started investigation only to discover that what was reported to be an investment company was just a network of advance fee fraudsters, who used the so-called investment company to defraud unsuspecting victims of their money.

It was gathered that the police tried to track the phone numbers used to defraud the victim, but the number showed that the suspects were in Aiyetoro, Ogun State. The police said through the use of technology, the suspects were traced to Edo State, where two members of the syndicate were apprehended. The others escaped arrest.


However, the force has stepped up the manhunt for other suspects on the run, the police informed the reporter.

“It was not easy to get the suspects. We traced them to two remote villages in Onwa East Local Government Area of Edo State, and Auchi area of the state before the suspects were arrested,” the officer said.

One of the suspects, Owuh, told Saturday Sun that he got a share of N15 million, which he saved in the bank. His intention, he said, is to eventually buy up a fuel station.

“I am not a criminal, but a struggling man who wants to make money. I only defrauded a woman of N 32 million, even though that the woman claimed it was N34 million, but I don’t see it as a crime. It is the work that we do. I am 20 years old and I grew up to meet people doing advance fee fraud (419) in my community. It is the work we do in my community (name withheld) in Edo State.

“Everybody is committing one crime or the order. We are not into armed robbery, but 419. So, I learnt 419 after my school certificate exams. I had the intention of going to higher institution but I was assisting my father in his farm while I was doing 419. It was a local one. I joined the syndicate of fake investment companies.

“Really, I would go to church, Christ Apostolic Church, to pray to God to grant me favour. One day, the grace of God came upon me. A woman chatted me up on WhatsApp that she wanted to invest N20,000. I told her that she would get N40,000. I was surprised when she sent N100,000. Then I started working on her and the grace of God started working on me. The woman started dropping money, from N1 million up to N32 million. I must say that the grace was too much.

“When she dropped the money, we had to share it. My share was N16 million, but I saved N15 million and used the balance to help myself. I gave my friend, Idowu, N450,000. It was with my church mind that I gave it to him, because he was not involved in the deal. He is my best friend. He is in Auchi Polytechnic. So, I needed to help him.

“The irony is that it was that money I gave to him that led to my arrest. If not for the money, no policeman can dare come to make arrest in my village. It is a remote village. It has only one entrance and the same entrance is also the exit. If a stranger is coming in, we will know. If our people are coming in from anywhere, we will know. So, if the police are coming in, we will know and decide whether to run or to confront them. That is why I am still in shock the way the policemen were able to enter our community and started tracing us.

“They first picked Idowu. I still can’t figure out why he was arrested first, instead of me who gave him the small money he was enjoying. When the news went round that Idowu was arrested, we gathered and started discussing what could have led to his arrest. As we were discussing about his arrest, he called me that the police had released him. We were so happy. The police now used him to track and arrest me. He called and said that I should meet him. I was so happy and was trying to see my man to also ask why he was arrested. I didn’t know that the police used him to set me up. As I met him, the police arrested me. I am not angry with him, because the police really used him to set me up. He is my friend and we will remain friends till we die.

“My only regret is that my dream to build or buy a filling station is temporarily gone. That has been my dream. So, when the grace of God came upon me, I said, Yes, he has answered my prayers. Although my parents were not happy that I was into 419, they knew that was the only job left for us, and the only work we do in my community. They were happy when I told them that I had saved N15 million in my account. I learnt that people are blaming me that I saved N15 million but I was always wearing one shirt, pretending that I had no money. If the police did not use Idowu to lure me out of my community, I would be well protected in my community.

“My village is formidable. After committing crime, once you are able to run home, nothing will happen to you. Well, my second regret is that the money will be returned to the owner. But I must be candid to you, if I am lucky to come out of this police problem, I will still go back to 419, because it is the only lucrative business that, in a matter of days, you are up there. Which work will give me N15 million in a matter of days? Or do you expect me to go back to my father’s farm? Never, I will go back to the only business my people know how to do best. But this time around, I won’t be doing local 419, but international one. If I had swindled a white person (Oyibo), she wouldn’t have traced me to my community. The victim would just say, let me leave him to God, and that is it. Our victim is a wealthy person. She should have let go of this issue.

“How to arrest the man who trained me in the business and others now on the run is a very big task because they would have run into my community and no police can come to the place to make arrest. Thumbs up for the Lagos State Police Command, because the Edo State Police Command would not have tried to come to our community to make arrest. Our town is formidable and our parents are behind us. We live by crime and we enjoy it.”

On his part, Idowu, a student of Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State, said he regretted implicating his best friend who was magnanimous to part with some money to him. He said even though he is into advanced fee fraud, he didn’t participate in the swindling of the Lagos-based businesswoman.


His words: “I must confess, it was a lady that put me into this problem. I was wooing a lady in my school. I have been disturbing the lady – her name is Queen – but she refused to accept my offer of friendship. She told me that she had a boyfriend and even blocked my number to stop me from calling her. So, on the fateful day, April 18, I got a phone call. When I checked who the caller was, it was Queen. She told me that she had decided to discuss with me and I should hook up with her somewhere. My joy knew no bounds as I dressed up and went for her. It was while I was speaking with her that the police arrested me.

“In fact, I was wondering why the police arrested me, until I was briefed and they told me to set up Augustine, my friend who gave me the money I was spending. That was how the journey from Edo State to Lagos began. I don’t know how this journey will end, but I don’t blame my friend for what he did. Some people said that he was using charms on the victim and other victims. What I see is greed and God’s favour. If someone is not greedy, how can you tell someone who has not met you before and does not know your office to invest millions and he or she will be investing? Just like the madam that dropped N32 million. She started from N20,000 to N100,000 to N32 million, though she said it was N34 million. The difference is not much. How could she be dropping and dropping? I learnt that it was the police that asked her to stop dropping money. Anyway, may be God’s favour was speaking for my very good friend. Once anointing of favour is on anyone, success will follow that person. If not for my stupidity of answering the calls of a woman who they used to set me up, my friend’s net worth would have been big money.

“Well, every young man knows that fraud is the only easy way to big money. If I come out from this problem, I will still go back to fraud. I am only in the school to acquire more knowledge and wisdom. How much can a company pay me when I have a business that will pay for my 10 years’ job in one day?

“Really, fraud is paying. I am not from my friend’s community in Edo State, but I have lived in the community. My parents brought us up there, but I am from a nearby town. But I love his community; the people are good. They understand the business of fraud and they protect their people very well. If you go to the community, you will see what boys are doing there. They are erecting mansions. I doff my cap for them. Yahoo-Yahoo is paying in that community. Many of them have not travelled out of the community, but they are richer than people who are abroad.”

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Benjamin Hundeyin, a Superintendent of Police (SP) said CP Owohunwa has commended the Special Squad 2 for cracking the syndicate, adding that he has advised people who want to do online investment to do extensive checks before proceeding.

“However, it is better to deal with people with physical offices and with proven integrity,” he said. “The command is still on the trail of others engaging in such criminal behaviour. They will all be arrested and brought to book.”

Small children wey no know say dem they put their self in more trouble with all these their capping. Gen z😂😂

Sangoamadioha1:
Small children wey no know say dem they put their self in more trouble with all these their capping. Gen z😂😂

I dey tell you.

After you spend 10 years in prison you will still have mind to go back to fraud again

Werey go run osole biza biza grace

Asquare84:
After you spend 10 years in prison you will still have mind to go back to fraud again

Honestly it's terrible.