More facts have emerged why Nigeria’s anti-graft agency arrested Kirikiri Prison Deputy Controller Emmanuel Oluwaniyi.
The controller was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside a medical doctor at the facility Hemeson Edwin for abetting crime.
It was gathered that the duo aided an internet fraudster while serving a 24-year jail term to commit another internet fraud worth N362,500,000 ($1million)
It was gathered that Hemeson allegedly procured an exaggerated medical report for a suspected cyber scammer, Olusegun Aroke.
Aroke was allegedly given a referral for treatment outside the facility during which he pulled a N362,500,000 ($1million) scam.
EFCC stated that preliminary investigation revealed that the Olusegun Aroke against established standard practice, had access to the internet and mobile phone in the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren explained Tuesday that Oluwaniyi and his accomplice, Edwin, were arrested on Monday by operatives of the commission
The suspects had given useful information about their alleged involvement in the crime, EFCC said.
Who is Olusegun Aroke?
Olusegun Aroke is one of two Malaysia-based Nigerian undergraduate fraudsters arrested by the anti-graft agency in 2012 at the 1004 Housing Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos following a tip-off.
Aroke is known as H.Money. He had masterminded a mega scam to the tune of over $1 million.
He committed the alleged crime from prison, using a network of accomplices.
Olusegun Aroke hails from Okene in Kogi State. He had claimed to be a student of Computer Science at the Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University, Malaysia.
He the arrowhead of an internet fraud scheme that traversed two continents.
When he was arrested by EFCC and searched his apartment, some of the items recovered include:
- laptops,
- iPad,
- travel documents,
- cheque books,
- flash drives,
- internet modem,
- Mercedes Benz SUV,
- 4Matic Mercedes Benz
- Range Rover Sport SUV
Olusegun Aroke was eventually convicted by Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja on two counts of obtaining money by false pretence, cheque cloning, wire transfer and forgery.
He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment on each of the two counts.
With the arrest of top prison officials abetting crime, it shows that some government officials are sabotaging efforts of the government at fighting corruption.