A man masquerading as a medical practitioner, Igwe Gift Okechukwu, found himself in the clutches of the Nigeria Police Force.
The arrest, carried out by the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Nasarawa State, was for a series of alleged crimes including criminal conspiracy, organ trafficking, fraud, cybercrime, stealing, impersonation, cheating, and identity theft.
The arrest unfolded after the suspect swindled a point-of-sale (POS) owner in Owerri, Imo State, tricking her into entering a code on her POS machine. This maneuver resulted in the withdrawal of a staggering Twenty-One Million Naira (N21,000,000) from her account. Efforts to locate the suspect proved futile.
Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, revealed these startling details at a press briefing in Abuja.
He highlighted the complexity of the case involving the suspect, Igwe Gift Okechukwu, alias Dr. Henry Ovie, who allegedly engaged in deceitful activities.
“Today, we present the case of one Igwe Gift Okechukwu ‘mʼ involved in criminal conspiracy, organ trafficking ,fraud, cyber crime, stealing, impersonation, deceit cheating and identity theft that was reported at the Force Criminal Investigation Department by one Anita Chinwe Mathias ‘fʼ.
“The complainant stated that she is a POS operator with several POS branches in Owerri and that on the fateful day she came in contact with the suspect, she went to a shopping mall in Owerri to get some personal effects, where the suspect introduced himself to her as Dr. Henry Ovie, a neurologist newly transferred from Portharcourt to FMC, Owerri.
“She stated further that Igwe collected her number and established a close relationship with her. He told her that he was expecting some money and that he would love to make use of her POS to collect the money. The suspect then sent the amount of Five Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N5,500,000) to her account, which made her believe that the suspect has a genuine source of income.
“She proceeded to state that on 11th September, 2023 the suspect tricked her to enter a code on her POS machine which she did due to the trust she had for him. After the suspect left her place, she noticed that all the money in her POS account was withdrawn, which amounted to the sum of Twenty One Million Naira (N21,000,000) and all efforts to reach out to the suspect proved abortive.
“She also went to the Federal Medical Centre, where the suspect claimed to be working, to ask about him and she was told that none of their doctors bears such a name. Immediately, she reported the case to the Force Criminal Investigation Department Abuja, where intelligent officers swung into action to arrest the suspect.
“During the course of investigation the officers discovered that the suspect had changed his phone number, relocated from Owerri to Lafia in Nasarawa State, where he rented and furnished an apartment, where he was later arrested after being tracked.
“Further investigations revealed that the suspect goes by different names such as Igwe Richard, Ovie Henry with multiple phone numbers and emails that he uses to perpetrate his heinous acts. Investigation also unraveled that the suspectʼs identity was not documented on the National Identity Management Commission portal, neither was his information in any Nigeria Information Database.
“Upon his arrest it was discovered that the said Igwe was also involved in organ trafficking and that he has a contact in Toronto, Canada with whom he engages in the trade of human organs.
“The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has reiterated that the arrest underscores the commitment and dedication of the force to combating crimes and criminality and also ensuring the safety and security of our community. The IGP has assured Nigerians that an extensive investigation is ongoing and every other perpetrator involved in this heinous act would be brought to book and be charged to court accordingly,” the statement added.
