The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will on Friday arraign 23 suspected internet fraudsters arrested during a sting operation at a hotel within the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The suspects, among 93 persons picked up in a late-night raid on Sunday, will appear before Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s spokesperson, said in a statement on Thursday that the accused persons face charges bordering on impersonation, identity theft and other internet-related offences.
According to the EFCC, the arrests followed credible intelligence that the suspects were attending a pool party to celebrate their fraudulent activities.
The commission said the gathering, initially planned for two different locations, was moved to the OOPL hotel in a bid to evade detection.
“The planners got wind of EFCC intelligence and relocated to OOPL, apparently expecting cover from arrest,” the statement read. “The former president’s facility was never a target of the operation. The suspects have confessed to their involvement in internet crimes.”
Oyewale said the arraignment would be conducted in batches, with the remaining suspects to face trial in subsequent court sittings.
The EFCC has intensified its crackdown on cybercrime syndicates, warning that no venue or location offers immunity from its operations.
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