The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested 16 persons for allegedly using President Muhammadu Buhari's name to scam and defraud job seekers and other innocent members of the public

The suspects, 10 men and 6 women, were arrested in a storey building located along Atiku Abubakar Way, Uyo, the state capital. The Leader of the syndicate identified as one Felix Obonka from Delta State has gone is currently on the run.

Items recovered from the suspects includes the sum of One Hundred and ninety thousand eight hundred naira (N199,800.00) and two set of forms for Empowerment and Surveillance.

The group operates with the name “Niger Delta Youths, Women and Security Movement for Buhari”. Investigation revealed that, the group’s (membership and surveillance) sold forms were purchased at the rate of six thousand naira (N6,000.00) and N15, 000.00 respectively.

It was further revealed that Felix Obonka and his accomplices tricked applicants into believing that those applying for security jobs will be trained by the Nigerian Army and on completion will be posted to the Nigerian Navy, Police Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Department of State Services, for the purpose of pipeline surveillance and protection.

Others were led into believing that they would become trained artisans and proud owners of shops at the end of the programme. However, the syndicate has not trained nor given shop to any persons since 2015.

It was also revealed that the purported recruitment started in 2015 with membership drawn from all the Local Government Areas of the state.