Arrests 3, Recovers 12 Accounts
The Inspector General of Police IGP Kayode Egbetokun has reaffirmed the Police commitment to Ensuring Improved Digital and Physical Safety. This was revealed on Friday by the Force PRO, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi while parading the suspects at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
In an onward fight against the menace of cyberstalking, a 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, acting on a petition at the instance of Hon. and Doctor Mrs Seye Oladejo have arrested three in connection with a case of Conspiracy, Cyberstalking, and threat to life.
The suspects namely Adebukola Kolapo; Nnedum Micheal Somtomchukwu and Isaac Akpokighe, all males of ages 27, 25 and 30 respectively are members of a syndicate called 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.
Upon arrest the suspects revealed their various degrees of involvement in the conspiracy, corroborating the already available overwhelming pieces of 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 obtained from the illegal scheme through various means.
In more developments, digital Forensic analysis led to the recovery of eight (8) gist lover pages created on the instruction of the head of the syndicate by Adebukola, and wallet addresses used in laundering these monies.
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, the suspect using his platform would 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.
While strongly warning against all sorts of partnerships that promote the illegal activities of this blog and others engaging in similar activities, the Inspector General of Police IGP Olukayode Egbetokun PhD. NPM applauds the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center led by CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry as he reaffirms the commitment of the Force to ensuring the safety of citizens in the physical and digital space.
