‘I use SIM alert to defraud account owner’ – Suspect says as Police parade others in Osun

In its latest effort to rid the State of crimes and criminally, the police in Osun State have arrested and paraded gangs of armed robbers, and internet fraudsters.

Parading the suspects at the State police command in Osogbo, the State Commissioner of police, Wale Olokode warned criminal elements to desist, saying the State is not a heaven for them.

A 7-man armed robbery gang namely; Adewusi Shola, Yusuff Moshood, Taye Fala, Abdulahi Adesokan, Ayoola Olalekan and Adeniyi Tunde, had on 7th February in Osogbo robbed a victim of property valued at N3,650,000 including an unregistered Toyota Camry valued at N2,800,000.

“Upon receipt of the case, the operatives from PRU swung into action and made some arrest of suspects from Oyo, Lagos and Ogun States. They made confession that their major operations were carried out within Osogbo metropolis”, Olokode added.

In an interview with newsmen, one of the suspected internet fraudsters Ayoola Olalekan confessed that he specialises in using SIM alert received by owner’s bank account to transfer the balance into another persons account, transfer it to POS and withdraw it therefrom.

“because if I transfer it to my own account, I can be easily tracked, that why I transfer to somebody else’s account and withdraw it at POS”, Olalekan said.

The police also recovered a Toyota Corrola Saloon car allegedly stolen by Oyedele Timothy and a 43year old welder, Adewale Adetona at Sango area in Ibadan, Oyo State.

According the CP, Adetona, a welder, confessed to have been producing master keys for Timothy.

Also paraded are Andy Umeiz and Ejike Francis aged 50 and 26 respectively for allegedly obtaining money under false pretence.

“The suspects approached their victims under the guise of introducing them to a business, usually goods needed to be cleared at Wharf and thereafter vanished into thin air once they have duped the victim. Another method of their operation is to seek collaboration from their victims to purchase chemicals to print mints dollars”, CP Olokode stated.

According the commissioner of Police, the command also arrested a 27 year old Olalekan Abdulahi for unlawful possession of a Dane gun, cutlass, two television sets, three DVD sets and one Karaoke digital amplifier; while a 29year old Akeem Rafiu was arrested for unlawful possession of mobile phones.

“During investigation, it was discovered that he (Akeem Rafiu) removed the sim card and there is no way to trace or link the owners of the two iPhones” the CP explained.

However, CP Olokode stated that “all the suspects have made confessional statements to the police and they would be charged to court in due course.