By Ola Taiwo
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kwara State Command, has arrested a 32-year-old man who allegedly threatened members of the public to extort money from them.
The suspect, Adetokunbo Adeshina, is said to engage in the act by calling people on phone theatening them with attack should they refuse to drop money.
The NSCDC command said the man was apprehended after several complaints from people who alleged that they received repeated calls from him demanding money under threats of violence.
The command in a statement issued on Friday by its Public Relations Officer, ASC I Ayoola Michael Shola, said the suspect was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to the statement one of the latest victims, whose identity was withheld for security reasons, was allegedly ordered to pay ₦500,000 or face attacks targeting himself, his family and his business.
“The latest incident involved a complainant whose identity is withheld for security reasons, from whom the suspect allegedly demanded ₦500,000, threatening to unleash violence on him, his family and his business,” the statement reads.
The statement said investigators traced the suspect after gathering intelligence from the complaints lodged by victims.
The command said that preliminary findings indicate that the suspect allegedly obtained the telephone numbers of his targets through Facebook before making repeated calls intended to intimidate them into paying money.
The statement said that operatives of the command, during a search conducted after the arrest recovered eight registered SIM cards belonging to different telecommunications networks, which the man is suspected to be using in carrying out the alleged extortion.
It disclosed that the suspect remains in custody while investigations continue to uncover the full scope of the alleged operation.
The command said the suspect would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.
