The suspect with fake currencies
A manhunt has been launched by the Nigerian Police in Abuja for a
Ghanaian identifed as Asiedu Ofei, and a Nigerian named Femi, reportedly
notorious for producing fake currencies.
According to a report by Punch Metro, Ofei who was arrested
sometime in July, 2016 in Ekiti State with seven cartons filled with
counterfeited naira notes and cedis, had led the police operatives to
apprehend his gang members in Seme, Lagos State, when he escaped.
It was learnt that the policemen who followed Ofei to Seme, had
maintained some distance from him and told him to lure other members out
of the supposed hideout.
A police source said Ofei, however, alerted his gang members to the
presence of the police and they all fled the area via an alternative
route.
“He (Ofei) is a wanted suspect. He escaped about two weeks ago
when the police took him to arrest other members of the gang in Seme.
The operatives stayed some distance away to monitor him while he called
out other members of the gang. The strategy was used because the
criminals will not come out from their hideout to answer any of their
members until they confirm that the member is alone and the area is
safe.
“While he was calling on the other members to come out at a
distance away from where the policemen stood by, he took advantage and
he and the members vamoosed. Since then, efforts have been on to
re-arrest him and the other members,” the source said.
Another source said the modus operandi of the syndicate was to
print the currencies – naira and cedis – abroad and smuggle them into
Nigeria and Ghana, respectively, adding that they subsequently spent
part of the notes to buy goods and exchanged the remaining with foreign
currencies.
“Ofei was arrested in July during a raid but he escaped from
police custody when he led cops to arrest the other members of his
syndicate. Seven cartons of counterfeited cedis were recovered from him.
One of the cartons contained fake naira notes. The suspect confessed
that they printed the money abroad and smuggled them into Nigeria and
Ghana for spending and exchange into foreign currencies. He also
mentioned one Femi as a member of the gang.
“The officers, who carried out the operation that led to the
suspect’s escape, are under pressure to re-arrest him and his gang
members. It is a serious embarrassment to them and the Force. They are
seeking useful information that could lead to their arrest,” the source said.
When contacted, the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Donald Awunah, said he was not aware of the incident.
He said, “I am not aware of the case. Try and get in touch with
the FCT command because they should have the documents declaring him
wanted.”
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