The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Osun State Command has successfully dismantled a syndicate notorious for mobile phone theft and defrauding unsuspecting citizens.
The suspects, apprehended at various locations in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, include Kayode Owoseni (35), a two-time ex-convict residing on Agbode Street, Oke Baale; Olasunkanmi Adesina (42), a suspected cultist from Oke-Ayepe; and Kehinde Bankole (32), residing on Idi-Omo, Sabo Road.
The State Commandant of NSCDC Osun State Command, Michael Adaralewa, PhD, announced that the arrest followed a complaint from a victim whose phone was stolen. The complainant reported that on June 14, 2024, two men entered her shop in Inisa, Osun State, pretending to buy sachet water. After deciding not to purchase anything, they left, and the victim discovered her phone was missing.
Acting on the complaint, the command launched an investigation and apprehended the suspects on July 1, 2024. The investigation revealed that Kayode Owoseni, previously convicted twice for similar offenses, learned the art of pickpocketing from friends at their base in Oja Oba, Osogbo.
Olasunkanmi Adesina, in his statement, admitted to being part of the cult group “Eta Fraternity.” He confessed that they sold the stolen phones and used the SIM cards to call unsuspecting individuals, posing as an elderly herbalist offering money rituals. Victims who fell for the scam sent money for sacrifices, after which the SIM cards were destroyed to eliminate evidence. Adesina also revealed his collaboration with an accomplice known as “Jeegun,” with whom he has been defrauding people for fifteen years.
Commandant Adaralewa emphasized that the case involves theft, impersonation, fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the public. He assured Osun State residents that the suspects will face the full extent of the law.
He also issued a stern warning to those engaging in criminal activities to desist or face severe consequences.
