UMUAHIA — GOVERNOR Theodore Orji of Abia State has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, over the cloning and use of his telephone line by unknown persons to dupe unsuspecting Nigerians.

According to the governor, the development was a source embarrassment to him as the fraudsters claim to be the governor while extorting money from unsuspecting members of the public.

In the letter dated May 20, 2009, entitled “Blocking and Fraudulent Use of My MTN line”, and personally signed by the governor, he urged the Police chief to investigate the matter with the aim of bringing the culprits to book.
The letter reads:

“I write to draw your attention to a case of fraudulent blocking and usurpation of my MTN GSM phone number and its subsequent deployment for criminal use.

“For about a week now, starting from May 11, 2009, I noticed that my MTN number 07037723390 was blocked, as I was unable to make or receive calls on it. Thinking it was a network problem, I ignored it and used my other phones for my communication.

“To my utter shock and consternation, I have realized that an unknown individual is using that same line to extort money from government officials, contractors, friends, politicians and my associates whose phone numbers were stored on my SIM card.

“As I write this, unknown fictitious people are making and receiving calls on my line, giving the impression that it is I who is using the said line. The usurpers of my line have gone ahead to send text messages to people, posing as me, coercing them to pay in huge sums of money into bank accounts for diverse reasons. Some people have already fallen prey to those antics.

“I make this report to compel a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the blocking and cloning of my line and to put it on record that even though the number belongs to me, I have not been in control of the use it has been put to in the last two weeks.

“It is my desire that this matter be brought to an expeditious conclusion to avoid embarrassments to me and financial losses to my friends and associates”, the governor said in the letter.

Vanguard gathered that many highly-placed individuals have fallen victim of the trend in the recent past, as fraudsters, using the contacts of ministers, governors, ex-governors, industry captains and other society bigwigs, have swindled people of their money.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/1/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36398&Itemid=42

na wa o.

It might be one of his girl friends who arranged it.

@ sparkle

i read the article and thought that as well. the governor should think it thru before going to the police. why cant he  change his number, prison officer always misplace keys , pronto a new one is cut and all numbers changed.

i love this

nigerians again

$osisi:

nigerians again

and again and again and again

omo naija

dang i wished i thought of that

someone close to him did this

shouldn't the network provider be aware of such

gist, who is orji trying to fool??
do gsm companies in naija back up numbers saved on subs sim cards??
and even if dey do.will dey have the names too??
make the guy refund people money biko,

Vanguard gathered that many highly-placed individuals have fallen victim of the trend in the recent past, as fraudsters, using the contacts of ministers, governors, ex-governors, industry captains and other society bigwigs, have swindled people of their money.

Welcome to NAIJJJJJJJA!!

Good for'em. I like 2 hear something like this.

omo wetin we no go see 4 naija
na money sha!

Now! See why Nigerians can NEVER change.
I doubt if this unwholely thing could be done in another developed country.

Dem dey do am everywhere! ain't u heard of technology transfer? Americans invented scam, we perfected it .

He should go 2 mtn so that the line should be blocked permanently or better still, let him arrange with them so that they ll' send sms 2 the number claiming that d 'ninja' has won some money. u never can tell, d ninja fit fall mugu show face.

How are we not sure that it is not him who block'd his line, did a SIM swap and connived wit unknown persons 2defraud his friends and associates. He's now crying foul. If poor young hustlers are capable of 419, so also the rich and those in power are capable of such too. Afterall, every individual with no exception, has an atom of criminal instinct in him/her. It is what we do with it (criminal instìncts) that matters.

Now! See why Nigerians can NEVER change.
I doubt if this unwholely thing could be done in another developed country.

Yes they do it. people's sim get cloned every time in China and they don't have to know you before cloning your sim. All they need is the call traffic and destinations to figure out whom you are. They can also break into your traffic and hear your conversations to figure out whom you are. I didn't know they can do it in Nigeria. Whomever imported that technology should be tracked down otherwise they can use it to kidnap all the high society kids in Nigeria. This is no laughing matter.

Good to hear that. At least, it is within themselves. Thieves extorting thieves. Let it continue within themselves.

someone close to him must be very smart

na wa o,

A whole gomino get's his ass scammed!!!, Dang, 9ja juz keeps getting berrer n berrer,

To the minds behind this, I say more of that jooooooooo

How do know that it is not governor that used his phone to commit and wants to put the blame on illusive person?

Why will the gov do that when he can easily steal from the state's coffers?

He could be really sick,like most of them are.Deranged

Well,two things might have happened;
1) Somebody close to the Gov might have diverted and barred his calls on his phone.

2) Someone in MTN might have done that on the system.It needs to be investigated.MTN can track the culprits.

The Gov made a mistake.He would have contacted private Detectives who will work hand in hand with MTN to catch the guys.It will be difficult to catch those guys now.It has gone public.

This story might be a setup to cover up something.

Very funny.How can a Gov not receive or make calls like 2 hrs without calling MTN GM?Most times,such lines has security tags on them. I wonder how such thing will happen.They are not telling us the truth.

Ha, Ha

This governor sef! na so so clone clone!the last time it was him and okija, this time its cloning his phone. Me i no go surprise if person clone im prick one day post am for Nairaland

I will implore Nairalanders not 2 jump 2 conclusion concerning these 9ja governors o!

Someone might already have information 'bout his phone/text conversation with contractors/bidders/etc including strong evidence of bribery.

He then try 2 checkmate by trying 2 fool everybody dat his phone is being cloned, an MTN line 4 dat matter! we r not 2 be fooled!

Imagine, someone text a contractor from d Governor's phone and ask him 2 pay certain amount of money into an account, if this has not been a common practice between them, am sure d so called contractor will not be so gullible 2 comply immediately without trying 2 speak wit d Governor on his other lines (a 9ja governor usually has in excess of 10 phone lines!)

This is not the first time. It has happened to Ibori in the past. It could be the same group of guys.

i need to learn this.its an advancement in technology