Ogun Police Arrest Man Over Alleged N18m Fake Prophet Scam

Police in Ogun State have arrested a man, Adewale Arojah, who allegedly posed as a cleric on Facebook and defrauded victims in Nigeria and abroad of more than N18 million.

 

The command's spokesman, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, made this known in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Thursday.

 

According to Babaseyi, operatives of the Ilaro Division arrested the suspect after a complaint was lodged on Oct. 3 by Muyiwa Akogun, known on Facebook as "Prophet Dr. Muyiwa Akogun."

 

He said Akogun told the police that members of the public had been complaining about fraudulent dealings carried out through a duplicate Facebook account bearing his identity.

 

Babaseyi described the suspect as a spiritual son of Akogun, who allegedly used the cleric's identity to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.

 

He said that once the complaint was received, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ilaro deployed intelligence and detective operatives to track down the suspect.

 

Sustained technological monitoring and an intelligence-led investigation, he said, led to the suspect's arrest in a village in Ajegunle, along the Ilaro/Ibogun axis.

 

According to the police account, the suspect admitted to the alleged scheme while being questioned.

 

"Upon his arrest, the suspect confessed during interrogation to impersonating Akogun and using his identity to offer fake prophecies and prayer services to unsuspecting victims.

 

"Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect targeted people seeking spiritual assistance through the cleric's Facebook page and allegedly defrauded victims in Nigeria and abroad of over N18 million.

 

"The suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation to determine the extent of the alleged offences and identify possible accomplices," Babaseyi said.

 

The spokesman quoted the Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, as commending the Ilaro operatives for their vigilance and swift response.

 

Ojajuni reaffirmed the command's commitment to tackling cybercrime, identity theft and other forms of criminality in the state.

 

He advised members of the public to confirm that social media accounts belonging to religious leaders and public figures are authentic before engaging with them, and urged citizens not to transfer money to unverified persons for spiritual remedies or other services.

 

The commissioner encouraged residents to report cybercrime, impersonation and suspicious activities through the Gateway Shield toll-free line, 0800 000 9111, or on 09164859299 and 09154293464.