A man wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for the past four years has been arrested by the Rivers State Police Command.
Joel Mba Okodi, commonly known as ‘Chief,’ was residing at Abak Road, Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa-Ibom State.
Okodi is said to be a Director at Chismo Resources Limited in Ikot-Ekpene.
A statement by the Rivers State Police Command said the suspect deceitfully obtained the sum of N50 million from one Chief Okosisi and was subsequently arrested by the EFCC.
According to the statement by the Command Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, while the fraud case was under investigation, Okodi persuaded his friend, Ochoa Okeokwu, to stand as his surety to enable him secure bail.
Okeokwu submitted his property documents, valued at N50 million, as collateral at the EFCC office in Port Harcourt.
After bail, Okodi failed to appear for investigation at the EFCC office and evaded all phone calls.
On some occasions when he answered phone calls, he resorted to violent threats against Okeokwu, warning him to desist from contacting him.
This forced Okeokwu to lodge a petition to the Inspector General of Police, who subsequently forwarded it to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu.
Disu, acting on the directives of the IGP, instructed the operatives of Operation Sting to ensure the swift apprehension of the suspect.
The officers, upon conducting a comprehensive investigation, discovered that the suspect was hiding in Ajegunle, Apapa, Lagos.
While the statement revealed that the case is currently being handled by the EFCC, Disu has advised members of the public to exercise caution before standing in as sureties.
