The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced plans to arraign 23 suspected internet fraudsters before a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday.
In a statement on Thursday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale said the 23 suspects are among the 93 individuals arrested on Sunday at a hotel located within the precincts of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
“Upon profiling, almost all the suspects arrested have been indicted for alleged offences bordering on impersonation, identity and internet fraud,” the statement reads.
Oyewale explained that the arraignment will be done in batches and follows the arrest of the suspects during a pool party allegedly organised to celebrate their fraudulent activities.
“The arraignment of the suspects, scheduled in batches, is coming on the heels of their arrest at a pool party where they were celebrating their exploits.
The party was initially planned to hold in two locations but was shifted to the hotel in OOPL ostensibly to escape possible arrest by operatives of the EFCC,” he said.
According to the EFCC, the planners of the party believed the location within the OOPL premises would shield them from law enforcement.
“The planners got wind of the commission’s intelligence and scampered to the OOPL, expecting a sort of covering from arrest.
The former president’s facility was not a target of EFCC’s operations. The suspects were the targets and have confessed to their involvement in internet crimes.
The arraignment of the remaining suspects is expected to follow shortly.”
The 23 defendants are expected to take their pleas before Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Lagos Federal High Court.
