Time-up for internet fraudster - After swindling foreigners of $40,000

By Adelowo Oladipo
Monday, July 2, 2007
Adelowo Oladipo reports the efforts being made by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unravel the circumstances surrounding the plight of two Indians in the hands of an alleged internet fraudster who was alleged to have duped them of thousands of dollars.


The suspect, Azodo Ejiogu .

AN erstwhile transporter based in Imo State, allegedly involved in internet fraud practices had been picked up for questioning by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly swindling two Indian nationals of the sum of 40,000 US Dollars. Nigerian Tribune investigations revealed that the 32-year-old suspect was in the habit of offering fake jobs that have no basis to his victims.


Further checks revealed that in order to undertake his alleged nefarious businesses, the suspect, Azodo Ejiogu, opened a domiciliary Account with a major Bank in the country with account number 3166835827 in conjunction with his partner using Monday Chinyere as his business name.



Nigerian Tribune learnt that one of his victims, Dr. Sheikh Kalemudin, received an alleged scam mail from Ejiogu sometime in December 26, 2006, informing him of a job offer. The victim was said to have alleged further that in the e-mail sent to him by Ejiogu, he was offered a job as a Medical Officer in Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, on a salary scale of $22,860. Nigerian Tribune was further informed that the victim was allegedly asked to pay certain fees which were meant for processing his visa for 580.00 U.S. Dollars. Visa application fee at 180.00 U.S. Dollars and visa courier dispatchment fee at 340.00 U.S. Dollars respectively. “In addition to that, the victim was also asked to pay visa notarization fee of N420.00 Dollars, Consular fee of 350 U.S. Dollars which the victim was asked by the suspect to scan and e-mail to Ejiogu, the Western Union Money Transfer payment slip to the Director’s Office, Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ASUTH)” said a source at EFCC.



The very reliable source who craved anonymity during a chat with the Nigerian Tribune stated that besides that, the victim was allegedly asked by Ejiogu to send all the money via Western Union Money Transfer to the attention of the Nigerian Immigration Visa Procession Manager and that A.S.U.T.H. would get back to him after confirmation of the receipt of the visa fees payment, that the hospital never did! Nigerian Tribune was also informed that another Indian (names withheld) also fell victim of Ejiogu’s internet fraud when he was allegedly offered a job in Nigeria and was asked to pay some ridiculous amount of money for work permit into the same Bank and same account number and same name. The victim was however said to have fallen for it and paid the said money before he realised that he had been duped. Nigerian Tribune learnt that in the course of investigation, the operatives of the EFCC wrote a letter to the affected Bank, adding that from the Bank’s statement sent to them by its authorities, it was discovered that about 40,000 U.S. Dollars had been fraudulently transferred into this particular account belonging to the accused person from the two affected Indians.


The suspect was said to have withdrawn the sum of 35,000 U.S. Dollars from the account and left only $5,347, in the account, Nigerian Tribune was informed. But when Azodo Ejiogu was initially confronted by the operatives with these facts, he was said to have denied defrauding the Indians at any point in time. But his bank statement gave him away as he was confronted with details of his transactions with the bank. He could not explain what led him into the Bank premises where his arrest was effected, maintained an insider source at the Ikoyi, Lagos, office of the EFCC. Meanwhile, investigations on the matter still continue at EFCC while Ejiogu is at the moment being held by the Commission.

this man is greedy.

What goes up must definitely come down (At least on earth)