POLICE ARREST SUSPECTED FRAUDSTER USING JAMB REGISTRAR’S IDENTITY

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a 32-year-old man, Nwogba Arinze, for allegedly impersonating the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Segun Aina, in an online fraud scheme. The suspect was reportedly arrested on August 27, 2026, in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, following an intelligence-led investigation launched after a petition from JAMB authorities.

According to the police investigation, the suspects allegedly created a fake WhatsApp account using the JAMB Registrar’s photograph and advertised a telephone number on LinkedIn, giving the impression that members of the public were communicating directly with the official. Investigators said the syndicate allegedly used the false identity to offer government contracts, including a purported deal for the supply of 200 HP laptops under an education digitisation programme.

Police said one prospective victim was allegedly asked to provide company registration documents before being introduced to a supposed personal assistant to the Registrar. The fraudsters reportedly demanded an initial N900,000, allegedly as money to facilitate approval at the Ministry of Education, before requesting another N3m. Investigators subsequently traced the bank account provided for the proposed payment to Edeh Chimezie Benedict, a man who had reportedly died in April 2026.

The investigation led detectives to Ebonyi State, where they arrested the deceased man's mother, Edeh Peace Ogechi, and another person identified as Edeh Gift. Police alleged that the deceased's ATM and SIM cards had ended up in the possession of Arinze and were being used to facilitate the suspected fraudulent transactions. When Arinze was eventually arrested, investigators reportedly recovered an Access Bank ATM card belonging to the deceased and an Airtel SIM card. Another suspect, Nnabuife Nwekpa, who was allegedly involved in the scheme, remains at large.

The police said preliminary investigations established a case involving alleged criminal conspiracy, online impersonation, identity theft and online fraud. Authorities also noted that the real JAMB Registrar did not authorise the use of his photograph, name or identity for contract solicitation. The police have recommended prosecution of the arrested suspect and continued efforts to apprehend his alleged accomplice, while warning Nigerians to verify purported government contracts and payment requests through official channels before committing money.