DIRECTOR of the State Security Service (SSS) in Delta State, Mrs. Florence Ikanone, yesterday paraded a 27-year-old graduate of Accountancy from Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, Mr. Philip Urieh, for allegedly impersonating Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on the social networking site, facebook.
She said the suspect, a native of Uzere in Isoko South Local Government Area of the state, was recently arrested by operatives of the state command following painstaking surveillance that was mounted on him as a result of series of reports received on the subject.
According to the Director, the suspect through the facebook platform allegedly defrauded unsuspecting persons to the tune of over N5 million by opening a facebook account with the name and picture of Governor Uduaghan which he uses to deceive his clients, promising them juicy contracts and government appointments.
“The suspect’s modus operandi is that he receives messages and responds to them as if he were the executive governor. He defrauded one Felix from Agbor through the facebook account to the tune N1.2 million on the promise of making him to sponsor beauty pageant.
“In addition, he paid N600,000 for billboards, praising the governor; N480,000 to be given to Chief of Staff; N540,000 for repairs of a Kia salon car belonging to subject; and he was equally instructed to pay N500,000 to be given to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly to ease his screening as a commissionership candidate,” said the SSS boss.