Babalawo' teams up with prophetess to steal N6m from bankers

An unholy criminal collaboration between a herbalist, Ismaila Abdullahi and a Cherubim and Seraphim Church Prophetess, Bola Ojo, has been broken by the Lagos State Police Command after the pair was arrested for allegedly defrauding two staffers of a bank of the sum of N6 million on the pretext of carrying out money rituals for them.

But the suspects told the police that they did not force the victims to bring the money as they gave out the money out of their own volition without being coerced.

The suspects were arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the command on the orders of the state Police Commissioner, Kayode Aderanti, after the victims wrote a petition against them.

It was gathered that the victims had met the culprits through one Ajibola who posed as an aide of renowned politician in the state and introduced a deal worth N5.8 million to them.

The said Ajibola reportedly asked his victims to bring the money to a location with a promise that they would get fat rewards after the deal.

The bank workers were said to have withdrawn the said amount and headed for Samson Street, Oke Odo, Iyana Ipaja, where Ajibola had an office.

While at the place, Abdullahi and Ojo allegedly met the bank workers and hypnotised the duo.

The police said the herbalist allegedly gave the bank workers a soap and sponge to bath and collected the cash from them. The suspects allegedly fled thereafter.

The Ilorin, Kwara State born Abdullahi, however told the police that the bankers had come to him for prayers and assistance to become wealthy and that the money he collected from them was to purchase the materials for the ritual.

"Yes, I am a herbalist. I was introduced to the bankers by my brother, Ajibola. What happened was that one of the bankers, a woman, wanted to perform money ritual.

She came to my house in Egbeda for prayers. She also wanted to get pregnant, and she told me she was planning to start her own business, that she was tired of her work.

So, she brought the money, which I graciously collected. I told her that I was going to buy the materials for the concoction which would make her pregnant and wealthy. That is the truth. I am married with four children. I was arrested in the Ilogbo area of Ogun State."

On her part, 65-year-old Prophetess Ojo, said her role in the scam was just to convince the bankers to pay the sum and she was given N200,000 for her efforts.

"I am a prophetess of the C&S. I live in the Iyana Ipaja area. I have three children. What happened was that Abdullahi asked me to pray for the bankers.

And after the prayers, he gave me N200, 000. He is just a friend, he is not a lover."