Obiechina, a 21-year-old student of the YABATECH, landed in EFCC net
after he defrauded a Briton of the sum of £54,000 after promising to
marry. Some Nigerians on Facebook think the EFCC was wrong to arrest him
for 'hustling'.
Some
Nigerians have tackled the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for
arresting a 21-year-old student of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH),
Yaba, Lagos, Obiechina (surname withheld), for defrauding a Briton of N16.4
million in a Facebook love scam.
Obiechina
is believed to have met Briton, Kieran Oakes, on Facebook and pretending to be
an American businessman named Lisa Jackson.
EFCC
Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspect then fleeced the
love-struck woman of the total sum of £54,000, promising to marry her.
But,
realising that Obiechina is a scammer, Oakes alerted the EFCC and he was nabbed
in a sting operation.
Surprisingly,
the overwhelming opinion on Facebook is that the student should be set free,
because what he did is not a crime.
Here is
a sample of comments [some spellings edited]:
"Did
he take the money from Nigeria resources or from a woman from UK, useless EFCC.
You will not arrest our Senator that loot billions with pen,"
Azubuike Italo.
"Free
this young guy, this is payback time to the western world because they have
collected all our gold etc in terms of religion, also as a slavery trade. Come
EFCC, beware and be warned," Beston Kaspar Chidi.
"This
organisation set up by the Obasanjo regime has failed again. Did he steal with
a Gun? EFCC ARE THE WORST ARMED ROBBERS HAVE EVER SEEN," Osunde Bassey
Harrison.
"I
say i love you, you say you love me....you give me money, where the scam come
enter? EFCC no get work at all!!"Cletus Nathaniel.
Only a
few like Katherine Ezeribe spoke in favour of the arrest.
"Issue
is Nigerians see nothing wrong with stealing, while the entire world punishes
even the smallest. For some in Nigeria its bred right into them as normal and
almost expected," she wrote.
"When
this new generation learns the world will not tolerate it, maybe they will
learn some empathy and receive some true blessings.”
Internet
fraud, also called Yahoo Yahoo, is a crime prevalent among young students in
Nigeria.
The
social media platforms have been used as hunting grounds, with many, especially
foreigners, falling victims of their highly organized, airtight operations.
In the
past couple of years, the EFCC has prosecuted many students for the crime.
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