Rivers ponzi scheme victims lament losses, demand operator’s arrest

Hundreds of Rivers residents who invested in a failed foreign exchange trading company stormed the Port Harcourt zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday, demanding the arrest and prosecution of the operator.

The protesters alleged that the Chief Executive Officer of the company, known as Cafint Resources Limited, Samuel Okonkwo, defrauded them of billions of naira.

The investors, who carried placards and banners with different inscriptions, sought a refund of the money they put into the scheme.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, ‘A fraudster is not different from a terrorist’, ‘Enough is enough, give us our hard-earned money ‘, ‘Samuel Okonkwo, get ready to be a co-tenant to Hushpuppi,’ among others.

A protester, Ken Okorie, said trouble started when the operator of the scheme, which started in October 2020, promised to pay dividends months later but failed to fulfil his promise.

Okorie, who said he invested over N1m, expressed sadness that he neither received his capital nor any dividend.

He said, “I invested over N1m in September last year and till now, nothing. Many of us are frustrated and we have been going to his office, but nobody is talking to us.

“He (Okonkwo) told us that he was going to pay between March and April this year, but up till now, no one is talking to us.

“So, we came to the EFCC to seek justice. We want our money back and for the government and the public to hear our voice. We don’t want any trouble.”

The Chairman, Rivers State Civil Society Organisations, Enefaa Georgewill, who led the protest, said on arrival at the EFCC office, the protesters were asked to nominate some persons to meet with the zonal head.

“The head of the EFCC showed us more petitions against this same man from other persons and informed us that they have initiated steps against him.

“The FCC has also asked us to bring more information and we have agreed on a later date to furnish them with the extra information.

“As part of civil society, we are going to make sure that the law catches up with him,” he added.

Georgewill advised Nigerians to be wary of firms with tempting offers and profits in double digits.