The Ogun State Police Command has arrested one Adewale Arojah for allegedly impersonating a popular cleric on Facebook and defrauding unsuspecting members of the public of more than N18 million under the guise of offering spiritual assistance and prayers.

The suspect was arrested by operatives of the Ilaro Division following a complaint lodged on October 3 by Muyiwa Akogun, popularly known on Facebook as Prophet Dr Muyiwa Akogun, who reported that fraudsters were using a cloned profile to perpetrate fraudulent activities in his name.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday.

According to the statement, the police deployed intelligence and detective operatives to track down the suspect after receiving the complaint.

Through technological monitoring and intelligence-led analysis, the operatives reportedly traced Arojah to a village in Ajegunle, along the Ilaro/Ibogun axis, where he was apprehended.

The police said the suspect allegedly confessed during interrogation to impersonating the cleric on Facebook and using his identity to issue fake prophecies and offer prayer services to unsuspecting individuals.

Preliminary investigations reportedly revealed that the suspect targeted people seeking spiritual assistance through the prophet’s Facebook page, gained their trust and defrauded victims in Nigeria and the diaspora of more than N18 million.

The suspect has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation to determine the full extent of the alleged crime, identify possible accomplices and facilitate prosecution.

The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the Ilaro operatives for their vigilance and swift response, reaffirming the command’s commitment to combating cybercrime, identity theft and other criminal activities.

The police also urged members of the public to exercise caution when interacting with religious leaders and public figures on social media, advising them to verify the authenticity of accounts before engaging with them or transferring money for spiritual services.

However, the police statement did not establish whether the suspect is the biological son of the cleric, despite the description in the original headline.