Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has arrested 10 persons involved in the advertisement and sale of completed academic projects to students online.

The suspects allegedly packaged and marketed plagiarised academic theses to desperate students to assist them unlawfully fulfil the requirement for the award of different degrees across the country.

Investigations revealed that some of the culprits of the online project scam were resident in Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu and Anambra States.

A statement on Saturday, by ICPC spokesperson, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, said six of the suspects had been released on bail while the remaining four who were seriously implicated in the matter were assisting the commission with useful information.

According to the statement titled, ‘ICPC clamps down on online academic fraudsters,’ Items seized from the suspects for forensic analysis – laptops and mobile phones – would be returned after investigations provided they were not required as exhibits.

It said, “The arrest was a result of ongoing inter-agency collaboration between ICPC and National University Commission aimed at putting an end to the fast-rising scam on academic projects on the internet.

“ICPC hereby wishes to advise all Nigerian students not to fall prey to this ploy by fraudsters on the internet as anyone caught patronizing their sites would not be spared as the commission would bring to bear appropriate laws against plagiarism and examination malpractice on them.”

Punch