Kwara: NSCDC Arrests Alleged Serial Phone Extortionist
Stephen Olufemi Oniz Ilorin
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kwara State Command, has arrested a 32-year-old suspected phone extortionist, Adetokunbo Adeshina, for alleged threats and extortion of unsuspecting members of the public.
The arrest, according to the spokesman of the NSCDC, ASC 1 Ayoola Michael Shola, followed multiple complaints received by the Command from victims who alleged that the suspect habitually placed threatening telephone calls, demanding money while warning that they would be attacked if they failed to comply.
The latest incident involved a complainant whose identity is withheld for security reasons, from whom the suspect allegedly demanded ₦500,000, threatening to unleash violence on him, his family and his business.
Acting on the complaints, operatives launched an intelligence-driven investigation that led to the arrest of the suspect in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Preliminary investigations, according to the spokesman of the and, ADC 1 Ayoola Michael Shola, revealed that the suspect allegedly sourced his victims’ telephone numbers through Facebook, after which he repeatedly contacted them with threats designed to instill fear and coerce them into making payments.
A search conducted during the operation led to the recovery of 8 registered SIM cards of different telecommunications networks, believed to have been used in perpetrating the alleged criminal activities.
The suspect is currently in custody, while investigations have been expanded to determine the full extent of the alleged extortion network. He would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
