Ogun State Police Crack Down on Cybercrime and Child Trafficking

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested three suspects for hacking into the WhatsApp account of the state’s Criminal Investigation Department head, Deputy Commissioner of Police Bode Ojajuni. The suspects, identified as Tolani Jeremiah, 31, Akande Suru, 20, and Edwin Jatto, 24, allegedly used the hacked account to deceive DCP Ojajuni’s friends and family into transferring over N1.1 million to a Moniepoint account.

According to the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, the suspects were apprehended at their hideout in Edo State and confessed to being part of an internet fraud syndicate that preys on innocent citizens. The police recovered six mobile phones, including a Redmi Android phone, and other devices used in the hacking operation. Investigations revealed that the suspects used a Gmail account, akandesuru342@gmail.com, to bypass WhatsApp’s one-time password security system. The suspects allegedly sent messages to DCP Ojajuni’s contacts, requesting urgent financial assistance, and the funds were transferred to a Moniepoint account, 6862703892, bearing the name Ichiola Ojo.

The Commissioner of Police stated that “the suspects hacked the WhatsApp account linked to GSM number 08034062773 belonging to DCP Bode Ojajuni of the State CID, Eleweran. Using the account, they deceived the victim’s friends and family into transferring funds to a Moniepoint account.” The police investigation revealed that the suspects defrauded their victims of N1,115,000.

In a separate case, the police paraded members of a child trafficking syndicate allegedly led by a suspect known as Mama Faith, who is currently in custody at the Ibara Correctional Centre. The suspects, including ThankGod Taiwo, 35, Patience Chikieze, 54, and Oluyinka Folake, 43, were implicated in the abduction and sale of children for illegal adoption.

Taiwo was arrested at his hideout after abducting a seven-year-old girl, Mercy Akande, whom he sold to Chikieze for N650,000 at Ipaja Roundabout, Lagos. Chikieze was arrested on December 29 at Lafenwa-Itele, and she led the police to her residence, where the child was rescued unhurt.

Further investigations revealed that Chikieze had previously purchased a three-year-old boy, Mohees Daniel, for ₦250,000 and sold him for N3 million. She also allegedly bought another child, David Jesulayomi, from Oluyinka for N1.5 million, which she attempted to sell for profit. Both children were recovered, along with fake adoption agreements issued by Chikieze. The police investigation revealed that Chikieze created a WhatsApp group named Prema Consult to lure unsuspecting adopters under the guise of legal child adoption. She and her accomplices, including Taiwo and Folake, confessed to working for Mama Faith, who orchestrated the illegal operations.

The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, who assumed office three weeks ago, warned criminals in the state to desist from illegal activities or face the full weight of the law. He urged residents to support the police with timely intelligence to combat crime effectively.