Fraudster pursues Islamic cleric with soldiers after failed prayers

The owner of a block factory in Bankole Estate, Magboro, in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, has been identified only as Hamzat. He allegedly had his Toyota RAV 4 taken by suspected military, who also allegedly broke into the facility.

An Islamic preacher named Sulaimon is sought after by the soldiers, according to Hamzat, who talked with PUNCH Metro on Saturday. The soldiers, who were traveling in a pick-up van, were up to five in number.

He said that the incident started when he asked Sulaimon for special prayers and brought a yet-to-be-named alleged Yahoo boy who is his girlfriend’s brother.

His girlfriend’s brother requested further special prayers after the prayer was successful, and Sulaimon in Lagos’ Agege neighborhood introduced him to another unnamed Islamic cleric.

Hamzat said, “After my brother introduced him to another Alfa for special prayer, maybe he was duped (or he didn’t get the expected returns after payment), I don’t know. My brother also said he did not know what transpired between the boy and the other Alfa.

“On Tuesday, I was called by someone that some people were at my block factory and they wanted to buy blocks. So I rushed down. I told the person the price of my blocks. In the course of that, I just saw some soldiers coming into the estate. They came to me and said they wanted to see me. I asked them what happened, but they started grabbing me.

“When I looked into their car, I saw the guy I introduced to my brother and his sister, who is my girlfriend. Then the soldiers said I should follow them. They said they would drive my car with them, but I refused, I said I couldn’t give them my car key but I would drive along with them since I did not steal or commit any crime.”

He continued by saying that the military had taken him to their barracks in Ebute, where they allegedly demanded N10,000 from him and had impounded his car until he could show them his brother.

Hamzat observed that one of the guards repeatedly demanded that he show his brother in a phone call.

Our correspondent called the alleged soldier’s number, but the person on the other end requested that our correspondent visit the army post in Arepo.

When contacted, Lt Col Ayeni Olabisi, the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army’s spokesperson, offered to look into the situation.

Omolola Odutola, the public relations officer for the Ogun State Police, stated that an investigation was underway.

According to the PPRO, “the case is being investigated,” they said on Sunday.