Niger State Police Command officers have arrested an online businesswoman named Akinnowonu Damilola Victoria, for allegedly defrauding over 100 people of N150 million.
The suspect, who is involved in the sale of women’s clothing, bags, shoes, phones, laptops, and other electronics, took orders from people in Minna but did not deliver their goods.
This was announced by the command’s spokesman, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, in a statement released on Friday, June 2, 2023.
He said the 23-year-old suspect deceived her victims by claiming her goods were confiscated by customs after placing orders with her.
The statement reads,
“A case of cheating, criminal breach of trust and internet-related offenses was referred to the Command from Magistrate Court Minna on 22/05/2023 involving one Akinnowonu Damilola Victoria aged 23yrs of Kolawole Street Tunga, Minna,” the statement read.
“Immediately the case was referred, Police operatives attached to SCID swung into action and the suspect was arrested with the help of the family and during interrogation, she claimed to have been operating an online business for about a year ago, via a link she discovered on Facebook, by showcasing items such as female clothes, bags, shoes, phones, laptops and other electronic gadgets.
“She said that through this act, she was able to gather many customers online who usually place orders for such items. She asserted further that due to her customers’ complaints about price, she took some orders at a low rate and sometimes used the proceed to supply other customers.
“Consequently, piling up orders she could not meet up for other transactions. Preliminary investigation revealed that she deceived her victims that her goods were seized by the Customs. She also rented two warehouses located in Tunga/Kpakungu areas of Minna with over two million naira, which she used to deepen her fraud escapades.
“She confessed that by her rough estimates, she is owing over one hundred customers to the tune of about one hundred and fifty million naira. Presently about 72 victims have so far surfaced at SCID Minna giving the Police, the statements of their ordeal with the suspect.
“The case is under investigation, as the suspect is undergoing interrogation at SCID Minna, and she will be arraigned before the court for prosecution as soon as investigation is concluded.”
