‘Why I duped Dubai traveller hopefuls’

A 28-year-old man, arrested for duping victims desirous of travelling to United Arab Emirate, has revealed the reason for his action.

The suspect, Emu - Larry Chidebere, was arrested by operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Ikeja, Lagos State Police Command, for being allegedly involved in United Arab Emirate's visa racketeering in Ajah area of Lagos State.
He was further alleged of swindling one Abraham Jude and four other persons of N2m under the pretence of helping them to procure Dubai Visas.
One of the victims, Jude, said: “After I was laid off my job at Abuja, I decided to leave the country, to overseas for a fresh start. Then, I met his uncle, Mr. Samuel Obed, who told me his nephew was working with one company at the United Arab Emirate (UAE) and that he could help me to secure the country’s visa.
“We started to communicate via telephone, and he assured me that he could secure Dubai Visa for me at a reasonable price. He requested for N400, 000. 00, which I told him I couldn’t afford such huge amount of money at that particular point in time. Later, he called me again that his work place in Dubai was recruiting and he had already submitted my name for employment. Afterwards, he started to persuade me by telling me the benefits that are attached to the employment. As a result of this, I began to source for the money by all means, and at the end of the day, I got the N400, 000:00 and sent to him in Dubai through his Access Bank account number: 0029521100.”
According to Jude, the suspect, after receiving the money, stopped picking his calls.
Jude further said: “Two days after he got the money, he stopped picking my calls. Even if he managed to pick the call, he would tell me I shouldn’t bother myself anymore that my money has gone down the drain. It was at this point, I went to RRS to report the case. The policemen told me anytime he was in Nigeria, I should let them know.”
It was gathered that the RRS operatives were on his trail for four months, monitoring his movement between Nigeria and Dubai.
Jude said: “After four months, I got a hint that he was in the country. He had however changed his telephone line. As fate would have it, I got his new line and handed it over to the RRS officers. They took up the surveillance from that end, which eventually led to his arrest.”
Stating his own side of the story, Chidebere said: “I can’t deny the fact that I collected the N400, 000.00 from him. I tried to secure the visa for him but all my efforts to do so were in vain. And I started to spend the money gradually till I finished it all”.
RRS investigators revealed that Chidebere has also allegedly defrauded four other victims, while pretending to get Dubai visa from them. He was alleged to have collected a total of N1.6 million.