The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a notorious impersonator, Abdullahi Saliu, who posed as a Colonel in the Nigerian Army to defraud unsuspecting victims of over ₦1.3 million.
Police spokesperson DSP Olushola Ayanlade, in a statement on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, disclosed that Saliu, a resident of Top Quality Hotel, lured two victims, Oshoade Janet and Daisi Remilekun Joy, into paying him ₦1,377,000 under the pretext of securing employment for their sons in the Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Immigration Service.
Investigations, however, revealed that the suspect had no links to the security services and diverted the funds for personal use.
Further inquiries also exposed Saliu’s wider network of fraudulent activities across several states, including Edo, Delta, Kogi, and Ondo, where he had impersonated senior officers of the Nigerian Army, Navy, Customs, and Immigration Service to gain the trust of victims.
“The behaviour is all a bid to defraud unsuspecting citizens of their hard-earned money,” Ayanlade said.
The police confirmed that Saliu has been arraigned before Magistrate Court 1 for prosecution.
Reaffirming its commitment to protecting residents, the Ondo State Police Command commended the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for his leadership and strategic support in tackling crime and fraud.