By Olumuyiwa Adejobi

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In an onward fight against the menace of cyberstalking, threat to life and blackmailing schemes operating in the guise of micro blogging pages, and contending with the online safety of many, the Nigeria police Force National Cybercrime center, acting on a petition at the instance of Honourable and Doctor Mrs Seye Oladejo have arrested three in connection with a case of Conspiracy, Cyberstalking, and threat to life.

The suspects namely Adebukola Kolapo, Nnedum Micheal Somtomchukwu and Isaac Akpokighe, all male of ages 27, 25 and 30 respectively are members of a syndicate called Gistlover family, responsible for the daily running of the Gistlover blog, a microblogging platform known for Cyberstalking, incitement, Blackmail, and sundry, which has over the years been a course for public outcry.

Upon arrest the suspects revealed their various degrees of involvement in the conspiracy, corroborating the already available overwhelming evidences.

The first suspect, Adebukola Kolapo a.k.a Omo oba Gistlover was responsible for the creation of over 80 percent of the Gistlover pages thereby lending his digital footprint for the perpetration of the aforementioned criminal act.

Being on the pay roll of the said platform and having enjoyed incentives like car gifts and monies, Adebukola was saddled with the responsibility of scouting, editing and captioning contents including the cyber stalking post made against the complainant, Honourable and Dr Mrs Oluseyi Oladejo.

Adebukola has also contributed in laundering monies gotten from the illegal scheme through various means.

In more developments, digital Forensic analysis led to the recovery of eight (8) gist lover pages created on the instruction of the head of the syndicate by Adebukola, and wallet addresses used in laundering these monies.

The Second suspect, One Nnedum Somtochukwu also shared in the conspiracy wherein at every point the page was taken down for certain infractions and violation of policies at the instance of reports from Law Enforcement Agencies, the suspect using his platform will by all means redirect traffic to the new page, helping the blog to evade sanctions.

Enjoying incentives like referrals for promotions from the head of the syndicate, Nnedum has also been found sharing contents, feed backs, and making defamatory remarks with the said head of the syndicate.

The Third suspect, Isaac Akpokighe a 30 years old male resident of Igando Lagos State unlike the duo above, is like hundreds of Nigerians whom having observed the lucrative nature of the Blackmailing, cyber stalking and false information market, decides to imitate the Gistlover blog.

By so doing, he created several of such pages and mirrors the activities of the blog including reposting the defamatory and life-threatening post against the complainant and many other notable Nigerians. Digital forensics led to the recovery of four gistlover pages created by Isaac Apkokogho.

The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.

While strongly warning against all sorts of partnerships that promote the illegal activities of this blog and others engaging in similar activities, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun applauds the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center led by CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry as he reaffirms the commitment of the Force to ensuring the safety of citizens in the physical and digital space.

PARADE OF SUSPECT INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY, ORGAN TRAFFICKING, FRAUD, CYBER CRIME, THEFT, IMPERSONATION, DECEIT, CHEATING AND IDENTITY THEFT

Good day ladies and gentlemen. We are pleased to inform you that officers and men of the Force Criminal Investigation Department have successfully apprehended an individual suspected to be involved in a multifaceted criminal case.

Today, we present the case of one Igwe Gift Okechukwu ‘maleʼ involved in criminal conspiracy, organ trafficking, fraud, cyber crime, stealing, impersonation, deceit, cheating and identity theft that was reported at the Force Criminal Investigation Department by one Anita Chinwe Mathias ‘femaleʼ.

The complainant stated that she is a POS operator with several POS branches in Owerri and that on the fateful day she came in contact with the suspect, she went to a shopping mall in Owerri to get some personal effects, where the suspect introduced himself to her as Dr Henry Ovie, a neurologist newly transferred from Portharcourt to FMC, Owerri.

She stated further that Igwe collected her number and established a close relationship with her. He told her that he was expecting some money and that he would love to make use of her POS to collect the money. The suspect then sent the amount of Five Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (₦5,500,000) to her account, which made her believe that the suspect has a genuine source of income. She proceeded to state that on 11th September, 2023, the suspect tricked her to enter a code on her POS machine which she did due to the trust she had for him.

After the suspect left her place, she noticed that all the money in her POS account was withdrawn, which amounted to the sum of Twenty One Million Naira (₦21,000,000) and all efforts to reach out to the suspect proved abortive.

She also went to Federal Medical Center, where the suspect claimed to be working, to ask about him and she was told that none of their doctors bears such a name. Immediately, she reported the case to the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja, where intelligent officers swung into action to arrest the suspect.

During the course of investigation, the officers discovered that the suspect had changed his phone number, relocated from Owerri to Lafia in Nasarawa State, where he rented and furnished an apartment, where he was later arrested after being tracked.

Further investigations revealed that the suspect goes by different names such as Igwe Richard, Ovie Henry with multiple phone numbers and emails that he uses to perpetrate his heinous acts.

Investigation also unraveled that the suspectʼs identity was not documented on the National Identity Management Commission portal, neither was his information in any Nigeria Information Database. Upon his arrest it was discovered that the said Igwe was also involved in organ trafficking and that he has a contact in Toronto, Canada with whom he engages in the trade of human organs.

The Inspector General of Police IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun Ph.D., NPM, has reiterated that the arrest underscores the commitment and dedication of the force to combating crimes and criminality and also ensuring the safety and security of our community. The IGP has assured Nigerians that an extensive investigation is ongoing and every other perpetrator involved in this heinous act would be brought to book and be charged to court accordingly.

Views exclusive rights: ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, FORCE HEADQUARTERS, ABUJA, 5th January, 2024.