The police in Delta State have arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly killing his friend and former classmate after a dispute over the sharing of internet fraud proceeds.
This is contained in a video clip featuring the police spokesperson in Delta, Bright Edafe, who spoke about the crime.
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In the video, the suspect identified himself as Oghenegare and admitted involvement in online fraud, locally known as “Yahoo Yahoo”.
Mr Edafe sent the video to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, but did not state when the incident occurred.
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Mr Edafe, a superintendent of police, said the deceased, identified as 25-year-old Courage, was killed after a transaction dispute during their fraudulent online dealings.
“The suspect murdered his friend and former classmate.
“They went into the business of internet fraud, and somehow, they had a transaction conflict resulting in a fight where he used something that looks like a small shovel or a battle axe on the head of the deceased,” Mr Edafe said in the video.
Suspect’s account
The suspect said he and the victim were engaged in internet fraud, which he acknowledged, saying, “I am an internet fraudster, Yahoo boy,” when asked about his occupation.
According to him, the victim brought a “job” expected to yield almost $1,000, but later refused to share the WhatsApp login details with him, locking him out of the “job”.
He told the police that the ensuing confrontation turned violent and that he used a broken “sharp shovel” kept at home for protection to cut the victim’s head.
“I kept it (the shovel) at home in case a thief visits,” he said. He said he cut off the victim’s head with the implement, then discarded the weapon while evading arrest.
Police are still searching for the murder weapon, Mr Edafe said.
The suspect also stated that he and the victim were members of a cult group, Black Axe, with the victim known by the cult alias “Vikings.”
When asked about what he had gained from cultism, he replied, “Nothing.”
Deepening internet fraud
Nigeria’s battle with internet fraud has been longstanding, with law enforcement agencies frequently cracking down on syndicates across the country.
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission last September arrested 28 suspected internet fraudsters in Ilorin, recovering luxury cars and electronic equipment as part of the illicit trade.
Previous investigations and reports by this newspaper have shown how deeply entrenched internet fraud has become in parts of Nigerian society, with some youths drawn by the allure of fast money and a luxury lifestyle.
