The Rivers state police command has announce the rescue of 16 youths from suspected job scammer.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, the state’s Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu, at the Command Headquarters on Moscow Road, said that operatives from the Octopus Strike Force, acted on credible intelligence about a possible hostage situation in a compound, located at Igwuruta community.
Disu further explained that after extorting large sums of money, the victims were held in a facility where they were monitored.
Advertisement
He said: “On August 29, 2024, at about 3 pm, operatives of the Rivers State Police Command, attached to the Octopus Strike Force, acted on credible information about a possible hostage situation in a compound at Igwuruta.
READ MORE: Rivers Police Nab Woman Over Child’s Trafficking, Rescue 16 Victims
“The operatives acted swiftly and arrested a suspect, Chukwudi Okoli (male), who posed as an employee of a company, Qjoseansel International Global Limited.
“During the operation, Amiye Joseph and fifteen (15) other victims, comprising thirteen males and two females, were rescued and taken to the station.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the unsuspecting victims had each paid between N650,000 and N850,000 to the fraudulent company, which falsely promised them jobs in the Oil/Gas sector, with payment in US dollars.
“The fraudsters operated by randomly selecting phone numbers and contacting potential victims, introducing them to fake job opportunities. They would then invite them to Port Harcourt for bogus interviews.”
