The fight against Internet fraudsters has yielded a dramatic coincidence as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested 27 youths each from Osogbo and Abeokuta.
What sounds like the magic number gave the commission a scary volume of 54, which it unveiled in a statement.
The development, observers would note, has revealed that too many youths have gone into the ‘business’ otherwise called Yahoo Yahoo, making it a real industry of the underworld.
The Lagos Zonal office of the commission said it arrested the 27 suspected fraudsters for offences bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences, forgery and possession of fraudulent documents.
It gave their names as Joshua Awoyemi, Sadiq Adeola, Olusoga Sadiq, Olalekan Savage, Arinze Princewill, Ojelabi Adewale, Ibrahim Habib, Wusu Damilare, Kadejo Sola, Osho Omotolani, Adeosun Adeyemi, Sobiye Oluwafemi and Temitope Opaogun.
Also on June 20, its net caught 27 suspects, including 12 ladies said to be girlfriends of some of them.
These are Adeleke Peter, Babalola Abiodun, Aduroja Temitope, Abdulazeez Razak, Adesina Adewale, Osayintoba Dare, Adebowale Fadairo, Abdulazeez Abdullahi, Akinseye Samuel and Osanyintoba Femi
Others include: Austin Onyekachukwu, Oluwaseun Adesina, Ibosiola Olamilekan, Ayoola Lekan, Abdullahi Owopade, Olatunbosun Kolawole, Saheed Adebola, Osanyintoba Pelumi, Ayo Bello, Samuel Emmanuel, Olalekan Oladele, Solomon Mattew, Oyelude Opeyemi, Quadri Olatunji, Ibrahim Alao, Tunde Bello and Fatolu Temitope.
The EFCC said it seized from them eight exotic cars including two Lexus and six Toyota brands, as well as many costly phones and laptops.
Many people have been so arrested across the country, while some have been convicted.
The syndrome that started as 419 took new dimensions with the penetration of the Internet and social media.
In the past one month, the crime be came a subject of national discourse when a Lagos-based artiste, Naira Marley, was arrested and charged with fraudulent activities.
Marley has openly championed the cause of the Yahoo boys.
