Man Arrested for N2.5m Deep Freezer Scam in Ogun

The Ogun State Police have arrested a 45-year-old man named Tony Ameachi for an alleged scam involving N2.5 million in a deep freezer deal.

The police found 25 Automated Teller Machine cards, 25 mobile phones, and 16 SIM cards from the suspect after his arrest.

DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, the Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, shared details in a statement on Friday. He said the investigation started in April 2026.

The complainant, who sells deep freezers, saw an online ad for the freezers on April 1, 2026. She got in touch with the person behind the ad and sent N2.5 million to a bank account belonging to Abdulmoruf Abdulahi to buy the freezers.

But the freezers never arrived, and the person she had been talking to stopped replying to her messages. She reported the case at the Igbesa Police Division on April 4, 2026, and detectives began their investigation.

Babaseyi stated, "Following discussions, she transferred ₦2,500,000 into a bank account bearing the name Abdulmoruf Abdulahi for the purchase of the deep freezers for resale. The goods were not delivered, and the person with whom she had been dealing subsequently stopped responding to her messages.

"The matter was formally reported at Igbesa Police Division on 4 April 2026, following which detectives commenced investigation.

The investigation made progress in September 2026. Detectives tracked down Tony Ameachi in the Ojo area of Lagos State and arrested him on September 22, 2026.

During the arrest, police recovered 25 ATM cards, 25 mobile phones, and 16 SIM cards. They found that the suspect had obtained utility bills and new SIM cards from his associates. These were used to open various bank accounts. The suspect then collected the ATM cards and allegedly used them for fraudulent activities.

The police are examining the recovered devices, ATM cards, and SIM cards as part of their ongoing investigation. They want to see how these items relate to this case and if they connect to other similar scams or victims.

The suspect, his case file, and the recovered items have been sent to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.

Once the investigation is finished, the suspect will be charged in court according to the law.

The police have urged the public to confirm the identities and reliability of sellers before making large payments for goods, especially online. They also advised people to keep receipts, account numbers, phone numbers, messages, and other important records when doing online transactions.

The police warned against letting others use your ATM cards, bank accounts, SIM cards, or personal documents for transactions not under your control. They encouraged everyone to report suspected fraud quickly, as early reports can help investigators track down suspects and find important evidence.