Two suspected internet fraudsters, also known as Yahoo boys, Friday Odeh, 21, and Poso Idowu, 20, have allegedly killed a 40-year-old man, Abdullahi Azeez, in the Owode-Egba area of Ogun State.
It was learned that the suspects confessed that it was one herbalist, identified simply as Arab Money, who they claimed to have contacted on Facebook, that prescribed the ritual for them.
According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, a relative of the victim lodged a complaint at the Owode-Egba divisional police headquarters on June 9, 2022, and that the family member reported that the victim left his house at the Kobape area on June 8, 2022, and did not return home.
Oyeyemi in a statement said the Commissioner of Police (CP), Lanre Bankole, directed the anti-kidnapping unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department to take over the investigation and unravel the mystery behind the sudden disappearance of the man after the police report.
On the CP’s directive, the SP Taiwo Opadiran-led team subsequently embarked on a technical and intelligence-based investigation, which led them to the hideout of Friday Abinya Odeh on September 22, 2022, where the SIM card of the victim was recovered.
The men were arrested at their hideout at Owode-Egba, three months after they allegedly committed the crime.
However, the suspects on interrogation confessed that they kidnapped the victim on June 8, 2022, at the Kobape area around 7.30 pm, from where they forcefully took him to the bush, killed him and cut him into pieces.
They also confessed that it was one herbalist, identified simply as Arab Money, who they claimed to have contacted on Facebook that prescribed the ritual for them.
“All efforts to recover the remains of the victim proved abortive, as the suspects claimed to have disposed of it,” Oyeyemi said.
He also said the Commissioner of Police had directed that the suspects be charged to court at the conclusion of an investigation.
In a related development, operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested two siblings, Lateef Afeez Abiodun and Lateef Abdullahi Olalekan alongside twenty-four others, for suspected internet-related fraudulent activities in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The Head, Media and Publicity of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement that they were arrested at the Apete area of Ibadan based on actionable intelligence worked upon by the commission.
The other suspects are Awotunde Joseph Sunday, Ojekunle Ifakorede Apesinola, Oladepo Kayode Samuel, Emmanuel Michael Blessing, Shittu Hassan Taiwo, Olubanji Michael Remilekan, Bakari Ibrahim Oluwatosin, Nafiu Hassan Ayomide, Shittu Toheeb Ife, Kehinde Abiodun, Ibikunle Lolade Tanimola, Ahmad Sodiq Adekola, Joshua Sowemimo, Adeleke Adegoke Yusuf and Ahmad Ridwan Adeniyi.
Others are Lawal Ayomide Alani, Olayiwola David Olateju, Quincy Okonma, Omotayo Bright Happiness, Okunlaja Joshua Opeyemi, Olasantan Adewola Seyifunmi, John Uroko Amuta, Olaoye Ifasola Ifasegun and Ayomide Adeleke Olamilekan.
Uwujaren said items recovered from the suspects include a car, laptops, and exotic phones.
