Breaking News: Lagos Syndicate Produces Fake Naira Note

Two men who are allegedly members of a
syndicate that produces fake naira notes have
been arrested by the police on Oluwakemi Street,
in the Ojodu Abiodun area of Lagos State.
NEWS Metro gathered that the suspects – Hope
Ihesiaba and his brother, Ifeanyi – were arrested
by the Isheri Police Division on Saturday.
Our correspondent learnt that the police were
tipped-off by a woman, who sold foodstuffs in the
area, that the suspects spent fake N1,000 notes
and the operatives moved in on the duo.
Eighty pieces of fake N1,000 notes, two laptops, a
sledge hammer and a cutlass were said to have
been recovered by the police from the suspects’
house.
It was gathered that apart from the duo, two
friends of Ifeanyi, a lady simply identified as
Ijeoma, and a man identified only as Paul, were
arrested by the police for allegedly receiving and
spending some of the fake notes from the
suspects.
Speaking with NEWS Metro, 33-year-old Hope,
from Abia State, said he got the fake notes from a
friend in Aba, Abia State. He denied that he was
the producer of the notes.
He said, “I do not produce fake naira notes. I
have a friend who does that. His name is Odiyi,
and he sells in a market in Aba.
“I gave him N28,000 real money and he gave me
the N80,000 fake naira notes. I knew the money
was fake; but I did it to help myself. I gave my
brother parts of the money. He in turn gave
some to two of his friends.
“I am not married. I just needed money and I
was tempted to collect the notes.”


The younger brother, Ifeanyi, who was the first
to be arrested, told PUNCH Metro that a woman
selling recharge cards raised the alarm after
realising he gave her a fake N1,000 note and
alerted some security guards.
“My brother and I live together in an estate in
Oluwakemi. On Saturday, I went to the Magodo
area where I wanted to buy a recharge card from
a woman. She just checked the note and raised
the alarm. She started shouting on me until some
security guards called the police and I was
arrested.
“The policemen came and searched my brother’s
house. They found all the notes there. I was given
the fake notes, I don’t produce them.”
Our correspondent learnt that the police had
launched a manhunt for the runaway Aba trader.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai
Owoseni, said investigation was ongoing into the
matter.
He said, “They are a syndicate producing fake
naira notes in the state. Investigation is still
ongoing.”