The Plateau State Police Command has uncovered a training academy for internet fraudsters, commonly referred to as Yahoo boys, in the Rantya community of Jos South Local Government Area. Eleven suspects have been apprehended in connection with this operation.
The police revealed that the suspects were found in an apartment thought to be rented by the leaders of the training center.
During a press conference at the command headquarters on Wednesday, Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina, disclosed that this operation was initiated following a tip-off from concerned citizens.
The suspects were paraded alongside others involved in various criminal activities, including armed robbery, kidnapping, and gunrunning throughout the state.
Narrating the incident, the CP said, “On 20/10/2024 at about 10:30am, we received a report that the following persons, one Ateh Anthony Idoko and Daniel Idoko, both 23 years old of Agingi, Rukuba Road who are internet fraudsters (Yahoo-Yahoo), conspired among themselves to traffic young boys who have just graduated from secondary school to a secluded residence.
“They locked them up, seized their phones and having shown them how to masterfully defraud people via romance scam and other cyber related frauds, forced them to go into the internet and continue to defraud innocent would-be victims and in the event where they refuse to cooperate, the ring leader beat them mercilessly with horsewhip.
“Upon receipt of this information, the Divisional Police Officer Rantya Division under my strict directive, immediately mobilised men and swung into action, raided the hideout where 11 suspects were arrested, including the two principal suspects.”
Speaking to journalists, the head of the centre, Ateh Anthony, a 300-level student at the University of Jos, confessed to the crime.
He said, “Yes, we are teaching them how to defraud people. It is cyber crime. All those that were brought to the house agreed to participate voluntarily. We did not force anyone. We are 17 in the apartment. We don’t allow the students to go out because we don’t want the police to know what is happening here.”
The CP called on the citizens of the state to cooperate with security agencies to combat all acts of criminality in the state.
