The Police Command in Osun says it has detained four persons, who allegedly specialised in using fake bank transaction alerts to buy food stuffs in the state.
The command’s Spokesperson,
CSP Yemisi Opalola, told newsmen at the Police Headquarters in Osogbo on Wednesday, that four suspects were caught in two different cases in Ede and Osogbo respectively.
“On Friday, at about 8:30p.m, the Police received a distress call that two young men entered into a boutique at Agip Area of Ede and bought clothes worth N160,000 with fake transfer, using an Opay ATM card.
“On receipt of the report, policemen swung into action and two suspects, both residents of Oba Akarigbo Area, Sagamu Ogun, were caught.
“During interrogation, they confessed to hail from Ogun and have been deceiving (buying items) their victims with fake transfers, using Opay ATM cards,” Opalola said.
She said that the command recovered four bags of foreign rice, twelve tubers of yam, a bunch of bananas, three OPAY debit cards and a Toyoya Venza, with registration number: LAGOS BDG 710 H, used for their operations.
She also said that a 54-year-old man and another, 37, that also used fake bank alert to purchase rice and vegetable oil, were caught in Osogbo.
“On Jan. 6, at about 6:45pm, the police were informed by members of Local Hunters Group in Osogbo that some suspects that allegedly use fake bank transaction alerts to purchase goods, especially rice and vegetable oil were sighted at Oke Ayepe Area, Osogbo.
“Police detectives from Anti-Cultism Unit swung into action and the said suspects were caught with three bags of rice recovered as exhibits.
“Discreet investigation, however, revealed that the suspects were once arrested by the police in September 2024 over a similar offence reported by at least 24 complainants.
“The suspects were charged to court and remanded at the Ilesa Correctional Centre for two months, from September to November 2024.
“Unfortunately, the very day they were granted bail by the court, they went and committed the same offence by purchasing rice and vegetable oil with fake transfer alerts.
“The first suspect always parades himself as a lawmaker (an honourable), while the second pretends to be his bodyguard (DSS operative),” she said.
The police spokesperson advised traders to always verify customers’ sales transfers with their bank apps to avoid being scammed.
She also said that three suspects, allegedly belonging to an unlawful society called Action Boxing Training Club, were caught at their hideout on Jan. 5.
Opalola further said that on Jan. 6, a 22-year-old man was detained for defiling a five-year-old girl with his fingers, adding that the suspect was caught by the victim’s mother.
“The victim’s mother was in her room preparing to go to shop when she heard the noise of her five-year-old daughter.
“When she rushed out, she saw blood coming out of her daughter’s private part and when she questioned her, was informed that the suspect had allegedly dipped his finger into her private part,” the spokesperson said.
She said that all the suspects would be charged to court on the conclusion of the ongoing investigations.
