The Nigeria Police Force made an announcement on Friday regarding the arrest of Mr. Mohammed Hassan Barau, who is facing charges of fraud and the fraudulent acquisition of ₦492.7 million from a victim.
The Nigeria Police Force explained that their collaboration with INTERPOL played a pivotal role in repatraiting Mr. Mohammed Hassan Barau to Nigeria through the process of extradition.
Furthermore, it was revealed by the Police that detectives based at the Force Criminal Investigations Department Annex in Lagos have apprehended Peace Ekom Robert, who stands accused of fraudulently converting funds amounting to 55,000 Euros from a victim.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, conveyed this information through an official statement titled ‘Successful Extradition of Suspect in a Case of Criminal Conspiracy, Fraud, and Obtaining by False Pretense.’
The statement reads, ‘The extant case involves a complaint filed by one Mr. Akinola Bayo Michael, who, in October 2021, sought to obtain foreign exchange (forex) for the purpose of purchasing a machine from the Netherlands.’
‘Mr. Michael sent a substantial sum of Four Hundred and Ninety Two Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N492,750,000) only to the bank account of Mr. Mohammed Sulaiman.’
‘However, instead of facilitating the forex transaction as agreed, Mr. Sulaiman transferred the funds to another individual, Mr. Mohammed Hassan Barau.’
‘Mr. Hassan Barau, who resides in the United Arab Emirates, subsequently sent 513,000 Euros to Mr. Michael from Belgium, supposedly for the forex transaction.’
‘However, this transaction was flagged as fraudulent, leading Mr. Michael to return the funds to the sender. Realizing that he had been a victim of fraud, Mr. Michael made multiple attempts to recover his money but was unsuccessful.’
‘The case took a significant turn when it was assigned to INTERPOL which launched an investigation into the matter.’
‘Recognizing the severity of the fraud and its international dimension, INTERPOL placed the prime suspect, Mr. Mohammed Hassan Barau, on a red alert list, thereby facilitating international cooperation in tracking and apprehending the suspect.’
‘We are pleased to inform you that Mr. Mohammed Hassan Barau was arrested by INTERPOL Abu Dhabi and subsequently extradited to Nigeria on 27th September 2023.’
‘His extradition marks a crucial milestone in the pursuit of justice for Mr. Akinola Bayo Michael.’
‘The successful extradition of Mr. Mohammed Hassan Barau demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies, both within and outside Nigeria, to ensuring that perpetrators of criminal activities, particularly those with international ramifications, are held accountable for their actions.’
‘This case underscores the importance of vigilance and due diligence in financial transactions, especially in the era of increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes.’
‘We urge individuals and businesses to exercise caution and verify the legitimacy of financial transactions to prevent falling victim to fraud.’
The other arrest involving Peace Ekom according to the statement is titled, ‘Case of Fraudulent Conversion of Funds, Forgery and Threat of Life’.