The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has taken into custody three individuals suspected of being members of a syndicate involved in defrauding unsuspecting people across the state.
In a statement on Monday in Uyo, the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, said the arrests came after the police received multiple complaints.
She stated that the operatives conducted a technical intelligence-led operation in July 2025, which led to the arrest of the three main suspects on September 5, 2025, around 1:30 p.m., at their hideout in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area.
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”The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has successfully apprehended three individuals suspected of being part of a syndicate responsible for defrauding numerous victims across Nigeria. The arrests followed several complaints received by the Command.
”Acting on the instructions of the Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, the operatives initiated a technical intelligence-led operation in July 2025.
“This effort culminated in the arrest of the three prime suspects on September 5, 2025, at approximately 1330 hours, from their hideout in the Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area.” the statement read.
John identified the suspects as Prince Francis Albert, 27, from Edemeya village in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area; Augustine Bassey, 39, from Okobo LGA; and Mbetobong Godwin, 35, from Ibesikpo LGA.
The PPRO stated that Albert, reportedly the gang leader, has admitted to enticing victims from different states using several phone numbers.
“The arrested suspects have been identified as: Prince Francis Albert, 27 years, of Edemeya village, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area. Albert, the alleged gang leader, confessed to luring victims from various states using multiple phone numbers.
”He admitted to beginning his criminal activities in 2022 after graduating from Sokoto State Polytechnic. He also confessed to successfully scamming several high-profile individuals, including politicians, military officers, and senior police officers, by using fake identities.
”He relocated from Oyo State to Akwa Ibom in April 2025 to evade police and DSS pursuit sourced his victims’ phone numbers from marriage invitations, obituary posters, complimentary cards, and online sources,” the statement added.
John revealed that the second suspect, Augustine Bassey, a POS operator, used his OPay account (number 8081732375) to receive funds from scams and admitted to collecting substantial amounts from victims between April and August 2025.
According to the statement, the third suspect, Mbetobong Godwin, who lived in the same building as the gang leader, also admitted to receiving money through his OPay account, number 8160526905.
She stated that the three suspects are cooperating fully with the police to retrieve their SIM cards and help apprehend other syndicate members still at large.
John called on members of the public to stay alert and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.
