Interpol arrests forex dealer for 492,750,000 fraud

 

One Mr. Akinola Bayo 

Michael has been left stranded and defrauded after he sought to obtain foreign exchange (forex) for the purpose of purchasing a machine from the Netherlands. 

According to the Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Mr. Michael sent a substantial sum of Four Hundred and Ninety Two 

Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N492,750,000)only to 

the bank account of one Mr. Mohammed Sulaiman. However, instead of 

facilitating the forex transaction as agreed, Mr. Sulaiman transferred the 

funds to another individual, Mr. Mohammed Hassan Barau.

Mr. Hassan Barau, who resides in the United Arab Emirates, 

subsequently sent 513,000 Euros to Mr. Michael from Belgium, 

supposedly for the forex transaction. However, this transaction was 

flagged as fraudulent, leading Mr. Michael to return the funds to the 

sender. Realizing that he had been a victim of fraud, Mr. Michael made 

multiple attempts to recover his money but was unsuccessful.

The case took a significant turn when it was assigned to INTERPOL 

which launched an investigation into the matter. Recognizing the severity 

of the fraud and its international dimension, INTERPOL placed the prime 

suspect, Mr. Mohammed Hassan Barau, on a red alert list, thereby 

facilitating international cooperation in tracking and apprehending the 

suspect.

We are pleased to inform you that Mr. MohammedHassan Barau was 

arrested by INTERPOL Abu Dhabi and subsequently extradited to Nigeria 

on 27th September 2023. His extradition marks a crucial milestone in 

the pursuit of justice for Mr. Akinola Bayo Michael.The successful extradition of Mr. Mohammed Hassan Barau demonstrates the 

commitment of law enforcement agencies, both within and outside 

Nigeria, to ensuring that perpetrators of criminal activities, particularly 

those with international ramifications, are held accountable for their 

actions.

This case underscores the importance of vigilance and due diligence in 

financial transactions, especially in the era of increasingly sophisticated 

fraud schemes. We urge individuals and businesses to exercise caution 

and verify the legitimacy of financial transactions to prevent falling 

victim to fraud.