Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) , Ekiti State Command, has arrested a travel agent for allegedly defrauded prospective pilgrims a sum of N13million in Ekiti, Ondo and Osun state.
The suspect identified as Alhaji Nurudeen Razak, according to the NSCDC spokesman in Ekiti, DSC Tolu Afolabi, had in 2020 and 2021, collected the huge amount from some Muslims ,who wanted to travel for Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
Afolabi, who paraded the suspect at the NSCDC’s headquarters in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, said: “Alhaji Adebayo did not process any document in respect of the Hajj exercise instead, he disappered with the money since 2021.
“All efforts to trace him proved abortive as he has changed his mobile number and his known addresses making it difficult to locate him.
“The Counter Terrorism Unit has been inundated with complaints from Muslim community in Ekiti State about his fraudulent activities and threat to life of the victims, which made the unit to track down the suspect to Oyo state where he was arrested and brought to Ekiti State.
“The suspect has confessed to the crime and he is assisting the Unit in her investigation. He will be charged to Court as soon as possible”.
Afolabi said the CTU operatives also nabbed two persons at Ise- Ekiti in Ise/Orun local government area of Ekiti State for alleged Cybercrime, drug peddling and cultism.
The suspects, Kayode Ilesanmi Fagbamigbe, 27years, and Samson Omotayo, 38 years, were arrested, following discreet investigation about kidnapping, drug peddling , cultism and armed robbery activities along Ikere/ Ise axis of the state.
He added that the suspects were nabbed by counter terrorism unit of the Command, who were investigating cases of kidnapping and other nefarious activities along that axis.
Afolabi said the operatives swung into action after series of antics by the suspects to resist arrest, which he said triggered pandemonium amongst the youths in the town as the CTU cannot make use of branded vehicle to make the arrest to forestall likely escape .
He said: “The youths of the town quickly blocked the road and prevented NSCDC officers from leaving the town. The youths claimed that the officers were kidnappers which made the officers to show them their Identity cards.
“The youths were not satisfied and went ahead to assault NSCDC operatives who were on their legal duty. The situation was later managed by the officers.
“The preliminary investigation showed that the suspects are into cyber crime, cultism, and drug peddling.
“Kayode Fagbamigbe, who claimed to be a student of Kenyatta University is suspected to be in the country for the purpose of transporting drug into Tanzania while Samson Omotayo is a suspected specialist in canabis sativa processing .
“The two suspects are in the Counter Terrorism Unit of the State Command where they are assisting the Unit in their investigation so as to arrest others who are at large. The suspects will be charged to court after the conclusion of preliminary investigation by the Unit.”
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