NSCDC arrests ex-convict, suspected cultist for phone theft, fraud in Osun

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested three persons, including an ex-convict for alleged mobile phone theft and defrauding unsuspecting members of the public.

The suspects, are Kayode Owoseni (35), a two-time ex-convict, resident of Agbode Street, Oke Baale; Olasunkanmi Adesina (42), resident of Oke-Ayepe, a suspected cultist and Kehinde Bankole (32), resident of Idi-Omo, Sabo Road, all in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

The state commandant of the NSCDC, Dr Michael Adaralewa, in a statement made available to Daily Sun by the spokesperson of the command, Kehinde Adeleke, yesterday, said the arrest followed a complaint from one of their victims, whose phone was stolen.

Adaralewa said the complainant alleged that two persons came to her shop at Inisa in Odo-otin Local Government Area to buy sachet water, and they stole her phone while she was attending to them.

“Upon her complaint, the command swung into action and members of the syndicate were arrested on July 1, 2024.

A diligent investigation revealed that one of the suspects, Owoseni, had been convicted twice for a similar offence.

“While making his confessional statement, Owoseni said he learnt the act of pickpocketing from his friends and their base is at Oja-oba, Osogbo.

“In his statement, Olasunkanmi said he belongs to a cult group known as ‘Eta Fraternity.’

He confessed that the stolen phones had been sold, but before then, he used the phone’s Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card to call unsuspecting members of the public, pretending to be an old man, who mistakenly dialled phone numbers.

“He would in the course of the conversation tell the receiver of the call that he is a herbalist, and would want to offer assistance with money rituals. Members of the public who fell for the trap had sent money to him for sacrifice and he later destroyed the SIM cards, to obliterate evidence.

“The suspect further revealed that he worked in collaboration with a man he referred to as ‘Jeegun,’ and both of them have been defrauding members of the public of their hard-earned money for 15 years,” Adaralewa said.