The Ogun State Police Command has arrested Adewale Arojah, identified as the son of a prophet, for allegedly impersonating a popular cleric on Facebook and defrauding victims of more than N18 million.
The suspect was arrested following a complaint filed on October 3 by Muyiwa Akogun, popularly known on Facebook as Prophet Dr Muyiwa Akogun.
According to the police, Akogun reported that fraudsters were using a duplicated Facebook profile bearing his identity to deceive members of the public.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ilaro Division subsequently deployed intelligence and detective operatives to track the suspect.
He said sustained technological monitoring and intelligence-led analysis led to Arojah’s arrest in a village in Ajegunle, along the Ilaro-Ibogun axis.
The police said the suspect confessed during interrogation to impersonating the cleric and using his identity to offer fake prophecies and prayer services to unsuspecting victims in Nigeria and abroad.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect systematically targeted victims seeking spiritual assistance on the said prophet’s Facebook page, gained their trust and swindled them of funds amounting to over ₦18 million,” the command said.
Arojah has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.
The police said the investigation would determine the full extent of the alleged fraud, identify possible accomplices and facilitate prosecution.
The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the Ilaro operatives for their vigilance and swift response, while reaffirming the command’s commitment to tackling cybercrime and identity theft.
The command also advised members of the public to exercise caution and verify the identities of religious leaders and other public figures before engaging with them on social media.