A leader of a four man gang, Segun Akuntola and his accomplices have been arrested by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command for their involvement in fraudulent activities.
Akintola popularly called Okadigbo who had evaded arrest since 2013 ran out of luck as the RRS Decoy Team caught him at his shrine at Ijora.
The gang reportedly specializes in defrauding innocent citizens within the State.
The only female member of the team, Toyin Idebi, 25 confessed that her job was to pretend as someone looking for direction to her destination, while carrying fake foreign to entice people before taking them to her gang to defraud them.
“I was a stylist and doing well before I joined them. When I saw how they were spending money on ladies like me, then I moved closer to them to know their secret
My main job was to act as someone who was carrying foreign currencies who didn’t know her destination. Though, those currencies were fake but I didn’t know how Okadigbo got them.
Initially, they were reluctant to tell me their job as they just told me they were into export and import business. I pressed on till one of them asked me if I can keep a secret. He opened up and I joined them”.
While recounting her ordeal, the victim simply identified as Joy said,
“It was on Wednesday afternoon, January 13th 2016 on my way to market. The lady amongst them flagged me down by calling Sabo passengers from Ikorodu garage.
When I saw the lady sitting and calling for prospective passengers I never thought otherwise. Immediately I hopped in and sat down beside her. I saw three other men inside the car.
Suddenly as we were progressing, the lady begged me to help her with my phone to make phone calls giving excuse that she had no call card on hers.
As a lady, I handed over my phone to her and she made two separate calls with my phone. As we moved a bit far more, the driver detoured the journey to unknown destination.
I queried the driver where he was taken me to, he refused to respond. Suddenly, they pulled over in the middle of the way, the driver pointed gun at me and the lady showed me knife to cooperate. They ransacked my bag and removed the whole money with the recharge cards, and they sped off.”
Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police, Dolapo Badmus, said that the Command will not rest until all criminal activities in the state are brought to the barest minimum.
“The leader and his gang members would be charged to court upon completion of investigation. The suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.” She added.
Okadigbo who denied been the ring leader said they only use his shrine as he specializes in doing money rituals and spiritual bath for client seeking children.
He was said to have duped a lady in Ikorodu in 2016, with supports from one Christian Odokor, 43.
“It is true they used my shrine and office. They bring their victims there but everybody operated on their own. They all assemble there but everybody managed their group…. Although, the fake dollar they use is mine but I don’t know anything about this job for which they have been arrested.
I operated by selling herbs, but I market quick money rituals to people as well as herbs for people looking for children. I do spiritual bath for clients and that is how I defraud people and make my money.”
Odokor, another member of the gang said:
“All of us, about nine groups that I know report to him (Okadigbo). We operated in different parts of the metropolis. He is so powerful and fiery that no police dare to arrest him. Now, I was shocked seeing him here with us in your custody.”