Osun NSCDC Nabs Ex-Convict, Cultist Who Specialises In Phone Stealing

A syndicate that specialized in mobile phone theft and defrauding unsuspecting members of the public have been arrested by the Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The suspects are, Kayode Owoseni (35), Olasunkanmi Adesina (42) and Kehinde Bankole (32).

The suspects, according to a statement by the command spokesperson, Kehinde Adeleke, were arrested at different locations in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

The State Commandant, Michael Adaralewa PhD, said the arrest followed a complaint from one of their victims, whose phone was stolen.

The complainant, according to Adaralewa, said two men came to buy sachet water in her shop at Inisa, Osun State on the 14th day of June, 2024, and stole her phone.

“While attending to the men, she kept her phone on one of the tables in the shop. The duo later said they were not buying again and promised to come back.

“It was after they left the shop that the victim realised she could not find her phone again,” Adaralewa said.

The commandant said the command swung into action upon the complaint and members of the syndicate were arrested on 1st July 2024.

“Diligent investigation revealed that one of the suspects, Kayode Owoseni, had been convicted twice for a similar offence.

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

“In his statement, Adeshina 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, so as 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 fifteen (15) years.”