LAGOS—Concerned Igbo in Lagos State, weekend, called on security agencies to investigate the activities of individuals parading themselves as Igbo leaders in Lagos with a view to checking the nefarious activities of criminals in their midst.

The group in a statement by its coordinator, Chief Nwike Ezeachi, claimed that a number of discredited Igbo men whose criminal records were well known had been masquerading as leaders with different appellations in the state and also extorting and deceiving fellow Nigerians in the name of Igbo leaders.

According to Chief Ezeachi, “These unscrupulous elements have been extorting huge sums of money from politicians in the state who are desperate to win elections. Unfortunately, these politicians do not know their criminal records. We are particularly concerned with one of them who claimed to be a leader in Ikeja area of the state.

This man is wanted over a $250,000 scam committed in 2010 after he, together with members of his gang, advertised on the internet that they had used rail scraps for sale to interested buyers.

A Turkish citizen, Yildirim Babadogan, had petitioned the Economic and Financial Commission, EFCC, in 2010 after a member of the gang operating with false identity, along with three others, swindled him of over $250,000 under the pretence that they were selling used rail parts.

He was sentenced to prisons and also asked to refund $35,000 to the Turkish national, while security agents were charged to track down other fleeing members of the gang.

‘’Unfortunately, while the police was able to arrest his accomplice, he managed to escape. The accomplice was later sentenced to 18 years imprisonment for obtaining money by false pretence. He had since completed his jail term and the refund of the money.

This crook that was said to be at large is the same red cap chief parading himself today in Ikeja. We are using this opportunity to call on security agents especially operatives of the EFCC to take immediate steps towards arresting this  suspect.”