The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arrested Abayomi Kamaldeen Alaka (a.k.a Awise), leader of alleged deadly syndicate of ‘juju’ scammers that operates from a shrine at Ashipa Town, near Abeokuta Ogun State.
A statement issued by EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said Awise’s arrest followed a petition by a victim, Bright Juliet who lost N250m to the syndicate after she was tricked to provide money for sacrifices and invocations to heal her of an ailment.
She was introduced to Alaka by Akinola Bukola Augustina (a.ka. Iya Osun) whom she met on Facebook in the course of her search for solutions to her health challenge. What drew her to Augustina was the latter’s post under the name, Osunbukola Olamitutu Spriritual Healing Centre.
Once she contacted Augustina, the latter promised to heal her only if she pays N16 million. The victim paid the money through an Access Bank account belonging to Mohammed Sani, who later turned out to be a Bureau De Change Operator.
After paying the money without receiving healing, Augustina passed the victim on to other members of the syndicate, notably Awise.
Juliet revealed that she met Awise at his shrines in Ashipa Town and was hypnotized and subsequently transferred various sum through bank accounts and in cash to the suspect and his syndicate members, until she lost N250 million to them.
Despite all the monies collected from her, her health conditions never improved.
She consequently petitioned the EFCC.
A team from the Foreign Exchange Malpractices Section (FEMS) at EFCC headquarters, on May 21, 2021 arrested both Sani Mohammed and Akinola Bukola Augustina in Egbeda and Abule Egba respectively, in a sting operation in Lagos.
Augustina, who is currently on administrative bail, later led operatives to the Ashipa Town Shrine of Awise, but the latter escaped arrest having gotten wind of the presence of the Commission’s operatives. He was later apprehended.
Following his arrest, the Commission has traced and marked a number of assets linked to Awise, believed to be proceeds of his criminal activities.
The assets include vast land located at Ashipa Town, Abeokuta, Ogun State used as shrine to deceive the complainant to part with her hard-earned resources; a newly renovated filling station named Alaka Oil and Gas located at No.2, Adeneye Street, Oke-Oriya, Ikorodu, Lagos; an uncompleted Event Centre named Alaka Event Centre located at No.2, Adeneye Street, Oke-Oriya, Ikorodu, Lagos; uncompleted blocks of flats located at No.2, Adeneye Street, Oke-Oriya, Ikorodu, Lagos and a newly renovated storey building with boys’ quarters situated at No. 22, PSSDC Road, Magodo Phase 2, Magodo Estate, Lagos.
According to the EFCC, the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.
