… arrests 3, recovers 12 accounts
…IGP reaffirms Police commitment to ensuring improved digital, physical safety
The Nigeria Police Force said in an onward fight against the menace of cyberstalking, threat to life and blackmailing schemes operating in the guise of microblogging pages, and contending with the online safety of many, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, has arrested three suspects in connection with a case of Conspiracy, Cyberstalking, and threat to life.
The Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi said that the arrest came following a petition at the instance of Hon and Doctor Mrs. Seye Oladejo.
The suspects are namely Adebukola Kolapo Nnedum Micheal Somtomchukwu and Isaac Akpokighe, all males of ages 27, 25 and 30 respectively.
According to Muiywa, they are members of a syndicate called the Gistlover family, responsible for the daily running of the Gistlover blog, a microblogging platform known for cyberstalking, incitement, blackmail, and sundry, which has over the years been a course for public outcry.
He added: “Upon arrest the suspects revealed their various degrees of involvement in the conspiracy, corroborating the already available overwhelming evidence.
“The first suspect Adebukola Kolapo a.k.a Omo oba Gistlover was responsible for the creation of over 80 percent of the Gistlover pages thereby lending his digital footprint for the perpetration of the aforementioned criminal act.
“Being on the payroll of the said platform and having enjoyed incentives like car gifts and monies, Adebukola was saddled with the responsibility of scouting, editing and captioning content including the cyberstalking post made against the complainant, Hon. and Dr. Mrs Oluseyi Oladejo.
“Adebukola has also contributed to laundering monies gotten from the illegal scheme through various means.
“In more developments, digital Forensic analysis led to the recovery of eight gist lover pages created on the instruction of the head of the syndicate by Adebukola, and wallet addresses used in laundering these monies.”
The Force spokesman said that the second suspect, one Nnedum Somtochukwu also shared in the conspiracy wherein at every point the page was taken down for certain infractions and violations of policies at the instance of reports from Law Enforcement Agencies.
Adejobi added: “The suspect using his platform will, by all means, redirect traffic to the new page, helping the blog to evade sanctions.
“Enjoying incentives like referrals for promotions from the head of the syndicate, Nnedum has also been found sharing content, feedback, and making defamatory remarks with the said head of the syndicate.
“The Third suspect, Isaac Akpokighe a 30 years old male resident of Igando Lagos State unlike the duo above, is like hundreds of Nigerians who having observed the lucrative nature of the Blackmailing, cyber stalking and false information market, decide to imitate the Gistlover blog. By so doing, he created several such pages and mirrors the activities of the blog including reposting the defamatory and life-threatening post against the complainant and many other notable Nigerians.
“Digital forensics led to the recovery of four gistlover pages created by Isaac Apkokogho. The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.”
Adejobi warned against all sorts of partnerships that promote the illegal activities of this blog and others engaging in similar activities.
He stated that the Inspector General of Police IGP Olukayode Egbetokun applauded the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center led by CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry as he reaffirmed the commitment of the Force to ensuring the safety of citizens in the physical and digital space.
