The Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Lagos has arrested Chinedu Ernest Ngwaka and his wife, Janet Onyekachi Ngwaka, for their alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme totaling N320,000,000.00.
ASP Aminat Mayegun, Police Public Relations Officer of the FCID, confirmed the couple’s arrest, revealing their role in the fraudulent activity.
According to ASP Mayegun, the FCID’s Special Investigations Team (SIT) launched an intelligence-led probe after receiving a petition from Mr. Tochukwu Unachukwu, the Managing Director of Casco Electronics Company Limited. The petition, filed by Chinedu Laz and Partners (Deo Gratia Chambers) on September 9, 2024, accused the couple of defrauding Unachukwu’s company.
The investigation showed that between March and May 2024, Mr. Unachukwu paid a total of N320,000,000.00 to Ngwaka and his wife via their company accounts, Edunaco Multiple Resources Limited and Bright Janes World. The funds were intended for the purchase of USD 200,000 to facilitate the supply of goods from China. However, further investigation revealed fraudulent documents, including a telex confirmation from Zenith Bank, falsely showing the completion of transactions, which Chinese suppliers later confirmed they never received.
During the operation, authorities also recovered a black 2024 Toyota Hilux with a fraudulent presidency number plate (02B679FG) from Ngwaka, who falsely claimed to operate under the name Phobia BDC Ltd. Investigations with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revealed that Ngwaka had no affiliation with Phobia BDC Ltd, and the company’s license had been revoked earlier that year.
Additional items found during the arrest included a fake identity card fraudulently issued by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, identifying Ngwaka as a consultant, and a forged letter seeking the allocation of a presidency number plate. Both documents were confirmed to be illegitimate by the relevant authorities.
Investigations also uncovered that Ngwaka purchased a Toyota Hilux, which had been imported into Nigeria in June 2024 by Humble Autos, after engaging in the fraudulent transaction with Unachukwu.
Furthermore, the FCID received multiple other petitions against Ngwaka, including claims from Mr. Moses Chizoba Enechukwu and Chinedu Nwaforcha, seeking the recovery of ₦1 billion and ₦840,000,000, respectively.
Once the investigation is concluded, Ngwaka and his associates will face charges in court. The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of FCID, AIG Romokere Godgift Ibani, has urged the public to remain vigilant and report any similar fraudulent activities, warning that anyone involved in such crimes will face severe legal consequences.
