Abia terror 'One chance' syndicate nabbed

www.odogwublog.com reports that two members of a notorious " 419" syndicate popularly known as " One Chance" which specializes in picking unsuspecting passengers to an unknown destination where they  defraud them of their possessions have been paraded by the police in Abia.

Parading the suspects along with other criminals yesterday in Umuahia, the Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, said they were intercepted by eagle-eyed members of the public while attempting to pick some unsuspecting victims at Owerri by Kaduna Street Umuahia.

He gave the names of the suspects as Lucky Nwokocha from Ntigha in Isialangwa North council of Abia State; and Mrs. Rekiyat Sunday who said she hails from Ibila in Ankpa, Kogi State.

Police said one Volkswagen Vento Saloon car marked Rivers PBT 422 DT used by the syndicate as operational vehicle was recovered.

Later in an interview, one of the suspects, Nwokocha, 23, confessed to the crime but said he was introduced to the act by those who defrauded him of N300,000 he wanted to use and sponsor the burial of his late father who died last year.

He said he had innocently boarded a taxi operated by the syndicate who defrauded him of the burial largess  and later encouraged him to join them.

Similarly, the other suspect, Mrs. Sunday said she joined the syndicate in January after the death of her late husband, a solder .

The mother of eight said it was Nwokocha who she identified as her class mate at Government College Umuahia that " converted" her to the group.

Giving details on how they defraud their victims, she said she would pose as a passenger  escaping with a bag load of money belonging to her master, and looking for a native doctor that would neutralise the effects of charms allegedly placed on the money by her master.

She said greedy and gullible persons usually fall for the pranks even though they also cast spell on them.

The suspects were nearly lynched by the mob after they were arrested .