The Edo State Government has ordered the arrest of two persons for allegedly operating a fake motor licencing syndicate and defrauding unsuspecting members of the public.

The two suspects are Igbinidu Osagbemworhue and Austin Nwadili, who were allegedly processing fake motor licence and vehicle particulars.

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security and Surveillance, Comrade Emmanuel Orukpe, said that the suspects were apprehended when a team of surveillance operatives tracked them and uncovered their dealings in fake motor vehicle particulars.

According to him, “The suspects in the course of a fresh negotiation for the production of drivers' licences were arrested. The two suspects who were arrested gave their names as Igbinidu Osagbemworhue and Austin Nwadili. The suspects were searched on the spot and found with two sets of drivers’ licences, bearing the name of one of the suspects, Austine Nwadili, suspected to be fake; Courier Service Report belonging to Mr Igbinidu, which was suspected to have been unlawfully obtained and one suspected fake PCRC ID Card bearing the name Igbinidu.”

He said that the suspects claimed that the documents were perfected by another suspect who hangs around the premises of the Board of Internal Revenue.

He said that investigations on the documents found on them showed that they were fake, as, “the two documents bear the same date, whereas the one with Reg. No. ASB372 RK was handed over before the one with No. EJ543 BEN. The Certificate of Road Worthiness seems to have originated from ML 9. The Road Worthiness Certificates for the two vehicles which were purported to have been issued on the same day were also from different booklets.”

He said that investigation is in progress at the State Criminal Investigation Department, and that the Chairman of the state's Board of Internal Revenue will look into the matter.

He warned others engaging in such criminal act to desist forthwith as the state government has a standing surveillance team which will leave no stone unturned in fishing them out for prosecution.