By Ahmed Ajikobi
The men of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps Kwara State Command have arrested a 37-year-old, a notorious internet fraudster, Charles Gabriel Purple, popularly known as Pastor for cyber crime.
The suspect, who claimed to be a resident of No 16, Opaleye Street, Mile 2, Lagos State specialises in withdrawing money from people’s bank account after stealing their phones. He was nabbed by the Intelligence and Investigations Department of the command.
According to the spokesperson of the command, Babawale Afolabi, who confirmed the incident said that the suspect specializes in withdrawing money from people’s bank account after stealing their phones.
“The suspect, Charles Gabriel Purple a.k.a Pastor 37, who claimed to reside at No 16, Opaleye Street, Mile 2 Lagos, was picked up by the crack detectives team of NSCDC at their hideout located around Offa Road in Ilorin.
“Our Intelligence and Investigations Department received a missing phone complaint from one Buraimoh Sunmonnu Adebayo, 57, who lives at No 207, Lagos Road, Sawmill Area, Ilorin, who claimed that he lost phone when he boarded a tricycle from IGS to Taiwo Road in Ilorin metropolis”.
Afolabi explained that the victim realised that after few hours of losing his phone, a sum of 500 thousand naira has been withdrawn from both his personal account and another company account where he is one of the signatories.
“Our detective and tactical team later swung into action and was able to track down the suspect to their hideout at Offa Road, Ilorin on Monday where the suspect and his accomplices were rounded up.
“In the suspect’s confessional statement, he admitted to be a notorious internet fraudster and also confessed to have stolen Buraimoh Sunmonu Adebayo’s phone, though stated that he has so far withdrawn sum of 400 thousand Naira from two bank accounts of the complainant and not 500 thousand Naira as being claimed by Adebayo.”
“The accomplices are Alfred Adegoke, 34, and Yusuf Saman 30.
Items recovered from the suspect’s hideout are 13 mobile phones and some hard drug substances.
“The State Commandant Iskilu Ayinla Makinde has ordered full scale investigations into matter and that the suspects would be charged to court after the completion of the investigations.”
