The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested a herbalist, Nurudeen Ibrahim, for allegedly raping and fraudulently obtaining N10.4m from a woman seeking spiritual help from him in Aramoko-Ekiti, Ekiti West local government area of the state.
Spokesperson of the command, DSP Sunday Abutu who paraded the herbalist alongside other suspected criminals at the command’s headquarters in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, August 25, noted that the suspect raped the 50-year-old woman several times under the pretence of conducting a spiritual cleansing for her business.
“The Command’s Anti-Fraud Unit on 19/08/2022 arrested a herbalist, one NURUDEEN IBRAHIM of Aramoko-Ekiti for defrauding a 50-year old businesswoman of Ogundele Street, Agbado in Ogun State to the tune of Ten Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (#10,400,000:00) and raping her on several occasions,” the PPRO said.
“The victim explained that she met NURUDEEN IBRAHIM in Aramoko-Ekiti sometime in September, 2019 when her business was retrogressing and was told to meet him for some rituals in order to make her business flourish and stable.
“She narrated that between September 2019 and 2021, the herbalist has collected Eight Million Naira (#8,000,000:00) through bank transfers and additional Two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (#2,400,000:00) cash from her as the cost of the rituals.
“She further said that the suspect has had unlawful carnal knowledge of her more than three times since then and threatened that she will die if she informs anyone including her husband.
“The victim decided to open up to her family members after she started noticing negative signs all over her body, lost her menstruation, lost her business and became very ill after which a family member informed the police which led to the arrest of the herbalist.
“The suspect admitted that he only collected Eight Million Naira (#8,000,000:00) from her in order to assist her in prayers that will boost her business,” he added.
Meanwhile, the command, through its Rapid Response Squad operatives, arrested one Ajewole Peter a.k.a Peter Faki, a notorious armed robber terrorising Ekiti State.
The PPRO said other members of the gang had been arrested and are serving jail terms in Ekiti State correctional centre.
“During the investigation, the suspect confessed to a series of his criminal activities including the armed robbery attack on First Bank Plc, Ifaki-Ekiti branch on 19/04/2018 where a Police Inspector was shot dead, attack on Wema Bank, lyin-Ekiti branch on 02/10/2020, attack on Maxwell Hospital, Ado-Ekiti on 29/03/2022 amongst others,” he said.
Abutu disclosed that three suspects were also arrested for conspiracy, burglary and stealing in Ado-Ekiti.
“On 22/08/2022 at about 07:00hrs, upon a credible tip-off, the Command operatives arrested one AYOMIDE FEMI a.k.a BAFEM, AKINOLA BODE and KAYODE DOLAPO in their criminal hideout in Ado-Ekiti for conspiracy burglary and stealing. Items recovered from them include groceries, cartoons of indomitable noodles, cosmetics and other valuables.”
“During interrogation, the suspects confessed that the exhibits recovered from them were stolen from the shops they burgled which are located opposite Delight Hotel, llawe Road, Ado-Ekiti. The owners of the shops have however appeared and identified the recovered exhibits as parts of the stolen items carted away from their shops. The suspects will be arraigned accordingly.”
