Detectives attached to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos, have arrested four suspected members of a syndicate that specialized in issuing fake police character certificates to Nigerians wishing to travel overseas.
The suspects, Osinowo Olujimi Obafemi, 35, Sebastine Olamide, 21, Shittu Babatunde, 25 and Bilal Yekeen, 25, were arrested by the FCID X-Squad after a woman, Mrs Shonekan Rukayat Mojisola, who innocently patronised them, got a 10-year ban from the United Kingdom for presenting forged documents.
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According to a statement yesterday by spokesperson for the FCID Annex, ASP Aminat Mayegun, Mojisola reported a case of falsification of police character certificate, obtaining money under false pretence, impersonation, forgery of signatures and official stamp against the suspects at the department and detectives immediately commenced investigation into the matter.
“The investigating team conducted a search on their premises at 267, Igbosere Road, off Obalende, Lagos Island, and uncovered a plethora of fraudulent documents, including fake police character certificates; seven medical reports issued from LASUTH belonging to several individuals; 65 fake international driving permits; 18 international driving license permit forms with different pictures and belonging to different persons; one pack of booklets of the traffic foreign vehicle regulation license, among others.
“Further investigation confirmed suspects’ involvement in a criminal racket involving issuance of the fake police character certificate that led to the 10-years ban of Mrs Shonekan upon the presentation of the fake Police Character Certificate at the Uk Embassy. They also admitted to issuing forged documents to several individuals,” Mayegun said.