Security operatives have apprehended a criminal syndicate that specializes in issuing fake COVID-19 certificate.

They were nabbed by the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Police Command.

Two members of the gang are still at large.

The suspects, Achibong Idonrenyin, Moses Samuel, Popoola Adewala, Wale Aderele and Abdulmalik Ibrahim, the police said deal in selling fake COVID-19 negative certificates to unsuspecting travellers within the international wing of the airport.

The suspects at large are Shehu Imam and Adeola Dalington who work with Sky Blue Services Limited, a cleaning service at the airport.

Briefing journalists on Thursday, March 4, the Commissioner, Airports Command, Mr Bature Umar, said the incident occurred on February 19 at the airport where a British Airways passenger, Michael Osagbogun, was defrauded of the sum of N50,000 for COVID-19 test.

According to the commissioner, one of the suspects had approached Osagbogun promising to produce a Covid-19 test negative certificate for him. He explained that one of the suspects took the victim to DAT Cybercafe at No. 4, Oriyomi Street, Ikeja where a fake COVID-19 negative certificate was eventually procured for him.

Despite the payment, he said, the victim who was on his way to London, the United Kingdom was denied boarding by the officials of the airline based on the fake COVID-19 negative certificate he presented at the counters.