100 applicants duped in fake police academy admission scam
By Boye Oyeyemi –
About 100 unsuspecting applicants have fallen victim to a fake admission racket allegedly operated by a suspected cyberfraudster, Samson Olamilekan Owolade, WESTERN POST learnt.
However, the Ondo State Police Command has arrested Owolade.
According to a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka Olushola, on Saturday in Akure, Owolade was allegedly behind fraudulent WhatsApp and Facebook groups, including “NPA RC12 Guide and Updates”, which had over 370 members, out of which more than 100 aspiring candidates were defrauded.
“The suspect, who has already made a confessional video statement admitting to the crimes, was also identified as one of the masterminds behind the Facebook page ‘POLAC UPDATES GROUP’, which has been used to spread falsehoods, mislead the public, and maliciously attack the image of the Academy and the Nigeria Police Force,” the statement read.
Exhibits recovered from him include several laptops, mobile phones, routers, Wi-Fi devices, and numerous SIM cards allegedly used to perpetrate the scam. The police said efforts are ongoing to arrest his accomplices who remain at large.
The case, according to the command, will be transferred to the Nigeria Police Academy, Kano, for further investigation and prosecution. It added that the Force under the Inspector General of Police remains committed to defending the integrity of the academy.
The command, however, warned parents, guardians, and prospective candidates not to patronise social media agents or unauthorised groups, stressing that admission into the academy is strictly merit-based and handled only through official channels.
