The trio used a fake Facebook account and fraudulently operated bank account to defraud innocent Nigerians under the pretext that the Foundation was raising money to help vulnerable Nigerians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested three brothers for running a fake bank account and Facebook page in the name of the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Mba, to defraud innocent people.
Emmanuel Ushie (23), Henry Ushie (30) and Matthew Ushie (28) were apprehended by the police operatives attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at their hideout in Anambra state.
The trio was part of the 24 suspects paraded at the force headquarters in Abuja for cybercrime offences.
Frank Mba, Force PPRO who disclosed in a statement on Monday, said the three brothers opened a bank account with his name at the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) to carry out their fraudulent activities.
He identified Henry Ushie as the "gang leader" behind the online scam.
He said the investigation revealed that Mathew Ushie had once been arrested in Ghana for using the name of the Inspector General of Police of Ghana, John Kudalor, to defraud unsuspecting Ghanaian policemen in the guise of providing an opportunity for them to attend United Nations peacekeeping mission using a fake Facebook account.
According to him, Henry Ushie had also been arrested in 2017 for impersonating a former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, on Facebook and defrauding many innocent Nigerians.
The statement said, "The trio used a fake Facebook account and fraudulently operated bank account to defraud innocent Nigerians of their hard-earned monies under the pretext that the Foundation was raising money to help vulnerable Nigerians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Investigations by the police operatives attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) revealed that the brothers engaged extensively and serially in such frauds and other related cybercrimes."