Fake Customs Officer Who Supes Cictims in Auction Sales Arrested

     

The police in Lagos have arrested a fake Deputy Superintendent of Customs, Ramoni Raji, who along with two others allegedly duped their victims of not less than N5m in auction sales.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Raji, with the other suspects ─ Usman Ibrahim and Adekunle Thomas ─ was apprehended on Tuesday, February 17, in the Gowon Estate area of Lagos. They were arrested by operatives of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad.
Correspondents gathered that while Raji disguised as a DSC, Thomas pretended to be Raji’s driver, while Ibrahim was in charge of giving out bank account for victims to pay.

It was gathered that Raji told victims that he was in charge of auctioning vehicles and some goods in containers.

The police explained that the three allegedly usually took their victims to the Wharf, Apapa area to show them the goods and vehicles.

Our correspondent learnt that a victim, identified
simply as Mrs. Uche, was duped of N1.8m when
she opted to buy an auctioned Toyota Highlander
and paid the sum into an account supplied by
the suspects.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro, 63-year-old Raji
from Okene, Kogi State, confessed that he had
used the customs uniform to dupe victims in
Abuja, Lagos and Ilorin, Kwara State.
He said, “I am not a customs officer. I decided
to buy the uniform to do business. I bought it
from a tailor for N5, 000 with all the kits. The
tailor did not know I was not a customs officer.
“I bought the DSC uniform and rank in 2013. The
name on the uniform is Yakubu Lawal. I used
the uniform to do fake auction sales. I went to
Uche’s shop on Unity Road, Ikeja, and convinced
her to pay for the vehicle. She initially paid
N800, 000 and then the balance subsequently.
“We also have buyers who had fallen into our
trap in Ilorin and Abuja. We made N3.5m from a
deal in Ilorin, Kwara State. We made N1.4m
from another deal.”
Raji, who lived with his family in the Ipaja area
of Lagos, added that he became a suspected
fraudster when he lost his job with a flour mill
firm.
Adekunle, 52, from Ido, Ekiti State, who feigned
as the driver, told our correspondent that he was
paid 10 per cent on every deal Raji brought to
the gang.
He said, “It was last year that I met Raji. I drove
him whenever he went to meet his clients. He
usually gave me 10 per cent on every deal. We
met at a beer parlour, and we became good
friends. I did not know it will get us into
trouble.”
Ibrahim, 39-year-old from Kano State, also noted
that he got about N250,000 from the deals he
participated in.
“When we made the N1.4m, he paid me N140,
000. I also got N80,000 from another deal,” he
said.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth
Nwosu, confirmed the arrest, adding that
investigations were ongoing at the SARS into the
matter.
He said, “The fake customs officer was arrested
with full DSC rank in customs uniform. He and
others have duped several citizens. Investigation
continues at the SARS.”