Key members of an organized crime syndicate suspected of scamming foreign oil trading companies out of more than $4 million have been captured by Nigeria Police Force operations.
The syndicate operated in Nigeria, China, and the US and was purportedly led by Marine Gold Oil Refineries Limited, Eagle Capital Management, and Richrice International Corporation.
The individuals were taken into custody between January 4 and January 31, 2025, according to Force Spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi, who spoke to reporters in Abuja on Thursday.
He said that David Udensik, also known as Dr. Jacob Bello, was arrested by agents for allegedly utilizing fake documents from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to defraud oil dealers out of $610,000–$610,000.
“Key members of an organized crime syndicate involved in a $4 million fraud targeting international oil trading firms have been successfully apprehended by the NPF-NCCC,” Adejobi stated.
The organization, which purportedly operates in Nigeria, China, and the US and is headed by Marine Gold Oil Refineries Limited, Eagle Capital Management, and Richrice International Corporation, specializes in sophisticated fraud schemes in the worldwide oil and gas sector.
Detectives detained Dr. David Emmanuel Udensik, also known as Dr. Jacob Bello, a Nigerian from Akwa Ibom State, on January 4, 2024.
According to the allegations, Udensik created false intelligence reports, falsified documents from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and used these documents to defraud oil dealers out of $610,000.
Following a year-long investigation, Adejobi said police also arrested Engr. Isaac Jerome Oyakhilome, Managing Director/CEO of Marine Gold Oil Refineries Limited and a director at Richrice International Corporation.
According to him, Oyakhilome was in charge of creating and executing fictitious crude oil sales contracts with NNPCL, enabling a multimillion-dollar fraud operation that brought in $1,151,495 for his unidentified physical address company.
“As the suspects have allegedly admitted to their roles in the criminal operation, officials recovered a number of exhibits during these arrests, including ₦55,000,000 (roughly $33,428.57), assets valued at ₦370,000,000, numerous electronic devices, and a Toyota Camry vehicle.”
Adejobi added that Solomon Chidiebere Akunyalam, a 24-year-old suspect in a complex cryptocurrency scam, was taken into custody by cybercrime agents.
The investigation further showed that in April 2024, the suspect contacted the complainant on the Binance platform using a foreign phone number and persuaded him to carry on their WhatsApp chat.
He consented on the pretense of providing free trading training.
After sending a phishing link that looked like an additional activation for a specific program subscription, the suspect then told the complainant to enable third-party authentication on his mobile device.
When the unwary victim clicked and activated the phishing link on his device, $86,000 was instantly taken out of his wallet,” he continued.
He added that two suspects, Irhene Efe Wealth (25), and Irhene Godstime (21), were taken into custody when police stormed a cybercrime hideaway in Ipent 2 Estate, Lokogoma, Abuja, on January 31, 2025.
According to Adejobi, the two were experts in stealing and selling Facebook accounts belonging to foreigners to online criminals.
Idowu Emmanuel, also known on Instagram as @lilsmart, was arrested by police in Lagos, according to Adejobi, for making false accusations against musician Naira Marley (Abdulazeez Adeshina Fashola) of kidnapping, assault, and fraud.
The suspect falsely claimed to have been kidnapped, beaten, and robbed of $300 using his Instagram name @lilsmart, according to investigations.
He also claimed that Naira Marley had bribed all Lagos police officers and was involved in credit card theft. Later, the suspect acknowledged in writing that these accusations were untrue and that he lacked supporting documentation.
He was captured at his home in Megamound Estate, Ajah, Lagos, on January 28, 2025, and the items used in this crime were found, he continued.