The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) has arrested a 19-year-old National Diploma holder of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos as the brain behind the blackmail of Queen Salawa Abeni with nude photographs.
The suspect, Olufowoke Oladunjoye Emmanuel, a resident of Brentfield Avenue, Peace Estate, Magboro, Ogun State, was picked up by the Decoy Team of Rapid Response Squad last week Thursday after three days of monitoring him.
The Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu had in the wake of the attempt by an unknown individual to blackmail Salawa Abeni sometime in April 2020 directed the Commander, Rapid Response Squad, DCP Olatunji Disu, to fish out the suspect.
After technical diagnosis of the complaint, the Decoy Team narrowed down on the suspect few days later.
Sources close to the team disclosed that the suspect couldn’t be picked because of the prevalence of Covid 19.
The suspect in his statement to the police confessed to have been the mastermind behind the ploy to publish some nude pictures of Salawa Abeni in exchange for money, adding that he was alone in the scheme.
The suspect, a 2017/2018 Electrical Engineering student of Yabatech, disclosed that he saw the nude pictures in a memory card which he picked up on the floor in Yabatech sometime in November 2019.
He added that after downloading the nude photographs of Salawa Abeni on his phone, he picked up her mobile number from her Instagram page.
“On 1st of April, 2020, I chatted her up and also called her after sending few of the photos to her online.
“My intention was to negotiate with her for few bucks and for me to destroy the photographs.
“I thought everything was going on fine until the following day when I heard the news of the blackmail over the radio. I was with my mother. She was even cursing the blackmailer unknown to her that I was the brain behind it.
“I immediately sneaked out, destroyed the memory card and threw my mobile phone and SIM card into nearby wetland in Magboro. Since then, I never mentioned it to anyone and called Madam Salawa Abeni about it again,” he disclosed.
Commenting on the arrest, CP Hakeem Odumosu stated that no individual would be allowed to commit a crime in Lagos from any State or escape to other States in Nigeria to evade arrest.
He advised guardians to monitor their wards, emphasizing that the internet is a fertile ground for opportunities but the State Command would not allow criminals use it as avenue to exploit law – abiding Lagosians.
The ‘Queen of Waka Music’, Salawa Abeni, had on April 1 released her nude pictures after being threatened by a suspected blackmailer.
According to the 58-year-old music legend, the blackmailer who identified himself as Jason is an Osun State resident.
She accused him of threatening to tarnish her image and destroy her career of over 45 years.
She, however, decided to share her nude pictures on Instagram and screenshots of her chat with the blackmailer so that she can be left alone.
“Good morning my Family, Friends, and Fans. I have something very important to tell you and I will really appreciate your audience. I am very disappointed that someone somewhere will try to tarnish my image and threaten to destroy my career of over 45 years,” Salawa Abeni wrote as she shared the “nude photos” in which she suffered a nipple-slip:
“This morning, I received messages from somebody threatening to expose very old pictures of me and in the process, blackmailing me for money. These could’ve been pictures of me in the hospital or even with my partner, but is this what has become of us?? I plead with everybody out there to be very careful as our current situation has made people very desperate.
“I am almost 60 years old, I have worked very hard and made a name for myself for somebody to believe that they can threaten and trample on my feelings, this is very sad. So I have decided to share the messages and pictures sent by this person with everyone for you all to see! Thank you and God bless you! For you the blackmailer, I refuse to be bullied by you as I’m sure that I’m old enough to be your MOTHER!!”
After more than four decades as a performing artist, Salawa Abeni has established herself in the Nigerian entertainment scene.
Her debut album titled Late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, released in 1976 on Leader Records was a commercial success. It was the first recording by a Yoruba female musician to sell over a million copies in Nigeria.
With 42 albums in her kitty, the Nigerian music legend has said she is not slowing down just yet.
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