Twenty-seven suspected internet fraudsters are presently in custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] following their arrest in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

The agency said it arrested the suspects on Thursday, 24 October 2019 in Eura Hostel, Naze-Obibiezena Road, Nekede and Bloomnesdays Plaza Hostel, Nekede after intelligence and diligent surveillance were carried out on them.

EFCC zonal head, Imam Usman, who briefed newsmen on the activities of internet fraudsters, disclosed that three Lexus E350, two Lexus R300 and a Toyota Avalon cars were recovered from the suspects.

Other items recovered from them, include several mobile phones, laptop computers and other incriminating materials.

He said that 31 suspects were brought to the Commission’s zonal office in Enugu where after preliminary findings; three of them found to be innocent had been granted bail, while the remaining 27 were currently providing useful information that would aid the investigation.

He added that they would be charged to court as soon as the investigation was concluded.

Usman also said that a campaign of calumny had been launched on the agency by some persons apparently in sympathy with the yahoo boys in Owerri.

He alleged that sponsored publications were on to create the impression that the EFCC was raiding Owerri indiscriminately especially tertiary institutions, adding that the agency had only conducted two raids on the state capital this year.

“It is also worthy to mention that the allegation of officers of the Commission accepting bribe from those arrested is not only mischievous but also far from the truth as it is on record that all the raids carried out by the zone in this year have culminated into over 67 convictions out of 88 suspects arrested in which 26 of the convicts were suspects arrested from Owerri in the first raid of 29th April, 2019”, Imam clarified.