The Osun State Police Command has arrested four individuals accused of using fake bank transaction alerts to purchase goods in the state.
Police spokesperson CSP Yemisi Opalola said two suspects were apprehended on separate occasions for their involvement in the fraudulent activities.
“On Friday at about 8:30 p.m., the police received a report that two young men had purchased clothes worth N160,000 at a boutique in the Agip Area of Ede using a fake transfer made through an Opay ATM card,” Opalola said. “Responding to the call, officers quickly arrested the suspects, identified as Adebayo Adesanya and Olansile Abdullateef, both of Oba Akarigbo Area, Sagamu, Ogun State.”
Opalola added that during questioning, the suspects confessed to using fake bank alerts and Opay ATM cards to deceive victims into giving them goods.
Police recovered several items, including four bags of foreign rice, 12 tubers of yam, a bunch of bananas, three Opay debit cards, and a Toyota Venza with the license plate LAGOS BDG 710 H, which the suspects used during their operations.
In a separate incident, two other suspects, 54-year-old Olaleke Gbenga and 37-year-old Muftau Balogun, were arrested for using fake alerts to purchase rice and vegetable oil in Osogbo.
“On January 6, at about 6:45 p.m., members of the Local Hunters Group in Osogbo informed the police that they had spotted individuals who had previously used fake bank alerts to purchase goods,” Opalola said. “Police detectives from the Anti-Cultism Unit responded and apprehended the suspects, recovering three bags of rice.”
Opalola also revealed that the suspects had been arrested earlier in September 2024 for a similar crime involving at least 24 complainants. After being charged and remanded in the Ilesa Correctional Centre for two months, they were released on bail and reoffended by purchasing rice and vegetable oil using fake transfers.
“The first suspect often claims to be a lawmaker, while the second pretends to be his bodyguard, an operative of the DSS,” Opalola said.
She advised traders to always verify transactions through their bank apps to avoid being scammed.
Additionally, three individuals allegedly linked to an unlawful group, Action Boxing Training Club, were arrested at their hideout on January 5.
On January 6, a 22-year-old man, identified as Aderibigbe Amos, was also arrested for allegedly defiling a five-year-old girl. The incident was discovered when the child’s mother heard unusual noise and found blood coming from her daughter’s private parts.
“The mother rushed out and discovered that the suspect had assaulted her daughter,” Opalola said.
All suspects are currently under investigation, and they will be charged to court once the investigations are completed.