A 12-year-old boy identified as Munachi Udochukwu, has told the police how his mother sold their family land so he could be enrolled in a Yahoo training centre in Lagos.
Munachi said prior to his arrival in Lagos, he lived with his parents in Anambra State. However, following the death of his father, who was the sole breadwinner, he was introduced to the gang who operates the facility.
He said: “I was woken up one early morning by the news of the sudden death of my father who left home for his business place the previous day.
“His death shattered my dreams of a promising carrier in future as I was made to drop out of school since the proceed from my mother’s petty trading business was not enough to sustained the family.
“Then, not knowing what to do, my mother approached a friend of hers, for financial support, but rather she introduced my mother to a gang that was recruiting young boys in the East into internet fraud.
“To her, the prospects was good as she believed that in less than one year, her young son would be rich enough to shoulder the burden and that her worries will be over.
“The only thing that stood against the thought of a lavish lifestyle is the money to buy me a laptop, data and some few other items.
“Not wanting to fail again, she quickly, without thinking of the possible dangers ahead, sold the only land that was given to my father by his family to raise the fund,” he confessed to a team of detectives from the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Panti where he was being detained.
Munachi explained that few weeks later, he arrived Lagos along with three others and that they were enrolled into the internet training centre where they will be taught how to swindle unsuspecting foreign and local businessmen.
He continued: “At first, we were shown different romance online sites and how we can capture those seeking s3xual pleasure for a token in dollars.
“We all had different roles to play in the quest to defraud a would-be client. We must perform our part perfectly, failure of which attracts severe beating. You are made to stay without food if the stake is high.
“I have only spent few months before we were arrested by the police. Most of the money we made goes to our teachers. The only thing we were given is food. Those who have graduated gets a fraction of the proceed from a successful deal.”
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, who confirmed their arrest at a press conference held at the command headquarters, identified operators of the facility as ChibikeIheijika 923) Stanley Iheijika (22), Obiora Oyedibe (26) and Emmanuel Onedibe (25).
CP Jimoh, who was represented by the command’s spokesman, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, gave the names of the trainees as Okorie Henry, Otoh Chisom (20), Okeke Kwufrochukwu (26), Uchenna Obeji (26), Munachi Udochukwu (12) and Chinedu Ukachukwu (23).
Speaking at the conference, Hundeyin said operatives of the command successfully uncovered and dismantled an illegal internet fraud training facility, commonly referred to as “Yahoo School”, operating in the Iju area of Lagos.
He stated that during the operations, detectives of the command arrested 10 suspects, four of which are the yahoo experts, who were running the notorious school.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the principal suspects of the facility recruited the trainees from Anambra State, engaged them to commit internet fraud and other related crimes.
“The proceeds from their fraudulent activities were being confiscated by the principal suspects. All suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba for further discreet investigation and prosecution.
“Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the sponsors who financed the trainee’s enrolment in the school, as well as the owner of the facility where the cranial and illegal activities took place,” he added.
