Finnish policewoman attempts suicide after swindled by Nigerian

Juliana Francis

The pathetic story and suicide attempt by a Finnish policewoman, simply identified as Raiji, after a Nigerian, Isibor Ehichioya Hillary 24, swindled her N73.63million, has caused the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to launch an investigation, leading to the arrest of the suspected fraudster.

Raiji was said to have petitioned Idris after she was swindled of a loan she collected from a bank believing she was investing it into a business that would yield profit. The victim, who met Hillary on Facebook, thought she was dealing with an American Soldier serving in Iraq called Marco Paulo.

Truly vexed by the policewoman’s ordeal in the hands of Hillary, Idris instructed his Special Intelligence Response Team, IRT, led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr. Abba Kyari, to fish out the suspect.

Speaking after his arrest, Hillary said: “The total money I have in my bank account right now after my expenses is N8m. I’m very sorry about the crime I have committed. My Facebook account has been blocked.  I have defrauded so many white women through my Facebook account, including Raiji from Finland. I took a total of 178,000 euro from her. My own share was 82,000 euro.”

Police started hunting Hillary, a graduate of Civil Engineering, Ambrose Ali University, Epkoma, after Raiji’s petition disclosing her suicide attempt was perused by Idris.

Hillary, formerly based in Turkey, made the Finnish woman to pay the sum of 178,000 to an account belonging to one of his cronies, Beggie, under the guise that the money would be used for a business, which would yield huge profit. 

Firmly believing she was dealing with a soldier, Raiji sent the money and waited in vain for the profit that was to come from the business investment, but mum was the word from ‘Paulo.’

Sick to her stomach with worry and sensing something was seriously wrong, the policewoman carried out a personal investigation on the said ‘Paulo.’

She discovered that she had been dealing with a Nigerian, posing as an American soldier stationed in Iraq. IRT operatives trailed and arrested Hillary and other of his cronies at Abuja.

Hillary confessed that he had N8m in his account, which was part of the proceeds of the scam. He further disclosed that he also used part of the money to buy Toyota Matrix, a laptop, an Iphone, landed property and an apartment. The items had since been recovered from him. 

His words:" I spent two years in  Tuekey, where I was taught how to carry out internet fraudster. My teacher is Mr. Kalu, a cybercafé. My specialisation is to provide account for fraudsters across the globe.  The first person I provided an account for is Peter. I also do online dating scam. The properties I have acquired from the business are Toyota Corolla 2014 model which I bought for N3.8m, a Toyota Matrix, which I bought for N1.6m. I also bought a land for N2m and I rented an apartment for N880,000.”