Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have reportedly arrested Hamza Koudeih, a Lebanese, alongside two other suspected accomplices of Ismaila Mustapha, Instagram celebrity better known as ‘Mompha.’
According to The Nation, the three were arrested during the weekend after a three-hour stand-off at Koudeih’s luxury apartment in the 33-storey Eko Atlantic Pearl Tower, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Mompha, Koudeih and the other suspects were said to have been involved in internet-related fraud and money laundering to the sum of N33 billion.
Officials of the anti-graft agency were said to have arrived at the luxury suite but were were denied entrance by the Lebanese and his wife.
On gaining access to his apartment, he was nowhere to be found either — prompting a thorough rummage of the room. It was during the process of searching that the Lebanese was found hiding inside a ceiling in his bedroom.
It was gathered that his arrest was followed by further searching of the room where they found various “charms and talismans in calabashes” which were retrieved alongside two luxury cars.
It was also learnt that Koudeih confessed that the retrieved materials were his “prayer objects.”
“Our officials knew that he was still inside and they were even hoping to persuade him not to jump out through the window because it would be suicide,” Mohammed Rabo, EFCC Lagos zonal head, was quoted to have said.
“The operation that led to Koudeih’s arrest was an offshoot of the collaboration between the EFCC and the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), but that Koudeih was arrested based on purely EFCC intelligence.
“Actionable intelligence received from local and international law enforcement agencies had revealed that Koudeih and Mompha alongside their collaborators are high valued targets in Organised Cyber Syndicate Network (OCSN).
“Investigations have also revealed that Mompha uses a firm known as Ismalob Global Investments Limited to perpetrate about N14 billion money laundering while Koudeih also operate two firms namely: THK Services Limited and CHK properties Limited to launder about N19 billion.”
Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesman, had confirmed Mompha’s arrest to TheCable Lifestyle last week Tuesday.
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