The Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday said it arrested four suspects, who defrauded their victims in pretext that they were soothsayers.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations in the FCT, Sunday Babaji who disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja, said the suspects were arrested at their shrines in Waru, Pyakassa and Galadimawa communities in the FCT.
Babaji said the suspects; Kehinde Ayola, 37, Sesan Fatoye, 30, Shola Samuko, 50 and Sheyi Fagbemi, 32 were arrested following complaints by a victim who was defrauded of N11 million before alerting the police.
“We are doing our best to arrest other members of the gang and I call on FCT residents to be wary of persons who approach them on the street as fortune tellers.
“Items recovered from the suspects were charms, herbs, calabash, pipe as well as white and red pieces of clothes,’’ he said.
Babaji said that detectives from the command’s Criminal Investigation Department also arrested four suspects, Monday Simon, Emmanuel Mathew, Lawal Sabiu and Husseini Ismail for conspiracy to extort and threat to kidnap their victim for monetary gains.
“Simon was arrested at his residence in Jikwoyi, his cohorts were arrested at Durumi where they had gone to recover the money requested from a victim.
He said one Opia Ameh, 41 was also arrested while responding to a distress call over clash between to rival cult groups in Dutse Alhaji area.
“The suspect was arrested in possession of one locally fabricated pistol and two rounds of live ammunition.
“Henry Olekamma, 23 was arrested and handed over to the command by the FCT Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
“The suspect was arrested in possession of a locally fabricated pistol by operatives of the agency who were on duty at Gwagwalada.
“Police operatives on stop and search duty at Asokoro area of the territory recovered a polythene bag containing a locally fabricated pistol,’’ the deputy commissioner said.
Babaji said the hoodlums had abandoned the pistol and ran away on sighting policemen on duty, adding that investigation into the matter was ongoing.
He said all the suspects in the various arrest made by the command would be arraigned in court on completion of investigations.
