The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it has smashed a 4-man syndicate that specialised in swindling unsuspecting applicants for recruitment into the corps.

Parading the suspects yesterday at the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja, the corps's spokesman, Emmanuel O. Okeh, said 3 suspects were separately arrested in Abuja while the 4th suspect was at large.

Okeh said one of the suspects, Grace Benedict from Enugu State, allegedly claimed to be the secretary of the NSCDC Commandant General, Dr. Ade Abolurin, to defraud applicants.

Other suspects are: Ikechukwu John from Enugu State, Wilfred Ahetuamu from Benue State and Richard Agirshi, who was at large.

He said the suspects had requested N300,000 and collected N280,000 in cash and bank deposit from an applicant, Bojo Bobori, with the pledge of offering him a job in the corps.

Okeh said that the principal suspect, who claimed to have some connections within the NSCDC, connived with three others to defraud Bobori of the money.

"However, luck ran out on the suspects when Bobori became suspicious of their motive and reported them to the Civil Defence, which led to their arrest," Okeh said.

He said that investigations revealed that the suspects used the premises of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and Transcorp Hilton Hotel to perpetrate their nefarious acts.