EFCC-operatives arrest Nigeria’s spiritual fraudster. File photo
from EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja, Nigeria
ABUJA, (CAJ News) – NIGERIA’S anti-corruption agency has arrested a man and his two sons for alleged spiritual fraud after they reportedly conned a woman of N4, 6 million (R212 000).
It is alleged the man, Yakubu Ibrahim, purported to be a spiritual healer and pledged prayers for the victim, named Aisha, and enable her business to grow.
The suspect allegedly demanded money to connect her with his ‘spirits’ so that she could become rich.
She was ordered to buy some perfume, honey, turkeys and a ram for the prayers.
The suspect collected several amounts of money from her on different dates through his sons – Ibrahim and Suleiman.
The father also presented himself as having supernatural and spiritual powers to transform her misery into wealth but after giving him the above-mentioned money, her business fortunes worsened.
Yakubu, his two sons and an accomplice, named as Kasimu, were arrested following an operation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the northwestern city of Sokoto.
They were arrested while allegedly trying to extort an additional sum of N105 000 (R4 800) from their victim.
Tony Orilade, the acting spokesperson of the EFCC, said the chief suspect’s method was to make his victims believe that he possessed some form of supernatural ability to communicate with spirits.
“In actual sense, they are mere tricks which he uses to deprive them of their hard-earned money,” he said.
“Efforts are on to recover the money while the suspects will soon be arraigned in court,” Orilade added.
– CAJ News