Police Arrest Suspected Fraudster Posing As Prophet T.B. Joshua, MFM Overseer, Others

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Police operatives from Area D Command, Mushin, Lagos, have arrested a Computer Science graduate who defrauds Nigerians by operating fake Facebook accounts of the Prophet T. B. Joshua of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry and other popular clergymen in Nigeria.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspect, one Atanda Yusuf, 27, a graduate of Computer Science from the Ekiti State University, who hails from Ora in Kwara State was traced by detectives of the Area D Command, led by the Area Commander, Akinbayo Olasoji, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).
The suspect was tracked, arrested and he confessed. He said, “I am into telecommunications business; I send and download music, I flash phones and l have MTN mobile kits which I also used to register sim cards. I am also working for Airtel with their registration kit also at No 2, Isuti road Igando.
“Everything I am saying is nothing but the truth because there is nothing to hide anymore. I created a Facebook account in Dr. Olukoya’s name, which I used to defraud people and i regret every bit of my action.
I also opened a Facebook page for Redeemed Christian Church of God and Synagogue Church of All Nations, that is TB Joshua’s Church.
“I asked people through Facebook to pay N1, 000 and get N10, 000 after four days;
it is like a ponzi scheme where you pay N1, 000 and get N3, 000 and more than 100 people had paid. I rented a shop at Igando. I rented it for N72, 000. The total sum will be going to about N500, 000. I started late last year, around July or September, 2018.”
“I had fear in me because I always knew that nothing lasts forever. Initially, I used my Diamond Bank account before I got Amos account, which is the one I am using.  Since I told the people to pay N1, 000 and get N3, 000, so once they make payment and it gets to four days, I will block the person’s number on WhatsApp and they will be unable to reach me again.”
“I slammed my WhatsApp number on the Facebook page. Once you click on the page you will see the number and then contact me. I actually regret every bit of my action and I had decided to stop. In fact, I had a feeling that I was about to be caught. Nobody lured me into it; I did it all on my own, no partner.
“Manacy Amos, the man I used his bank account number to transact the illicit business, is a colleague from the factory where we worked together; Okosupreme Natural Resources Limited. We were in the same department; we worked as Quality Control Inspectors. After Manacy gained admission, I was still working there before the company had issues and so we shut down.
During that period I met him and told him a friend of mine, a bricklayer, had issues with his account, that we have not seen any other account to pay money to and he agreed.”
“I told him that the bricklayer friend was ready to pay N5, 000 and so he agreed to sell it. He sold his account and gave me his ATM card. That was how I got it.
From the beginning I knew it would come to an end but I never knew it would be soon. The men of God I used most for the scam were Dr. Olukoya and T.B Joshua because I watched their programmes so much on television and people would respond faster to my call. I kept posting their normal church activities. I developed interest in Dr. Olukoya because I loved him so much.

Lagos State Police Spokesman, DSP Bala Elkana, confirmed the arrest and said that the suspect had been on police wanted list for over three months now.
“According to him, we arrested the suspect following a tip off. We have been looking for him for over three months now. We would soon charge him to court.”