CHENNAI : The police have obtained some vital clues from the two Nigerian nationals, who allegedly took Rs. 18 lakh as commission from a city builder on the pretext of getting large foreign funds in return.

The Ambattur police had received a complaint from Jagannathan, a builder in Anna Nagar, that two Nigerian nationals, promising foreign funds, had duped him of Rs. 18 lakh and fled.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered.

Following investigations, the police arrested Okundia Raymond Osas and Fide Robinson. Osas told the police that he and Robinson had arrived in Mumbai from Nigeria in January.

A police officer said the two had made phone calls from Mumbai to builders in other cities and promised that they would get foreign funds. "Though we have not received any further complaints, we suspect they had a wider network in Mumbai from where they had operated before landing in Chennai," he added. Subsequently, during their stay at Korattur for about a month, the accused had got in touch with many builders and contractors.

Embassy help sought

Following the arrest, a special police team visited New Delhi and briefed the Nigerian Embassy officials about the duo and sought cooperation in gathering more details. "We are examining the modus operandi of the money being taken out of the country through bank transactions." A hunt is on to nab another accomplice, police said.

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