A man claiming to be the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, duped two U.S.-based Nigerian women with promises of marriage, the police have said.
The 26 years old suspect, Abiodun Joseph, was paraded by the police in Ogun on Monday after his arrest. He also confessed to the crime.
The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Illyasu, told journalists that the suspect had opened a Facebook account with the name and picture of the monarch, which he used to defraud his victims.
The suspect was reportedly arrested last Wednesday at Ilese, in Ijebu North East Local Government Area.
The police boss said Mr. Joseph duped the ladies to the tune of N600,000 which he was paid through money transfer. He said the suspect deceived the victims with intent to marry them so they would become his ‘Oloris’ (queens) in the palace.
The commissioner added further that the suspect also used a Whatsapp account to dupe unsuspecting members of the public. He said the command got wind of his illicit act and swung into the action leading to his subsequent arrest.
“On interrogation, he owned up to the crime and confessed that he has duped some people to the tune of N600,000,” the commissioner told journalists.
The suspect in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES disclosed that he opened the Facebook account in October last year, purposely to defraud people.
He said he uploaded Ooni’s pictures from the Internet and used them on his Facebook account, and in no time, people, mostly ladies, began to send him requests, many commenting on his good looks.
He also revealed that many ladies sent requests to him that they wanted to be his ‘Oloris’ thinking he was genuine and this was how he was able to defraud some of them.
“I knew that Ooni was popular that was why I uploaded his picture,” Mr. Joseph said.
“Barely few days after I opened the Facebook account, many people, mostly ladies started to send me friend requests. Many of them said I have good looks and they said they wanted to be my ‘Oloris’ (wives).
“But in our chats, I told them that they have to pay some money if they are really interested in being my Oloris. Two of them based in the United States of America sent some money totalling N600,000 to me through money transfer mode.
“One sent N350,000 and the second one sent N250,000”.”
He said one of his female admirers requested a house worth N45 million. The suspect said he told her that she had to pay N5 million out of the amount and he would make up the balance for her.
He said he was still waiting for that N5 million last Wednesday before the police swooped on his residence and got him arrested.
“I regret my action, most especially using the name and pictures of the Ooni to perpetuate fraud. I seek for his forgiveness,” he said.
In a related development, the police paraded one suspected armed robber, Shakirudeen Shittu, who was arrested at Ogijo, Ogun State.
The commissioner said another member of the eight-member gang, who allegedly attacked a quarry in Ijebu Ode with the intent to kidnap Chinese expatriates, was fatally wounded.
He added that the command has commenced intensive manhunt for other fleeing members of the gang.
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