LAGOS—Two staff of a new generation bank (names withheld), simply identified as Temitope and Yusuf, have been allegedly defrauded by an Alfa and a prophetess, identified as Mubarak Abdulahi and Bola Ojo, respectively, in Lagos.

It was gathered that Temitope, a marketer with the bank, met one Ajibola who introduced himself to her as the aide of a renowned politician.

He furthered told her to assist him with the exchange of $30,000 and asked her to bring the money to another bank and collect the naira equivalent.

She agreed after much persuasion with what she stood to gain from the fast deal, unknown to her that she was dealing with fraudsters.

Vanguard gathered that she told her colleague, Yusuf, about the deal since she did not have the money.

Customer’s funds

Yusuf withdrew the said amount from a client’s account (names withheld) without permission, went with Temitope to the bureau de change and changed it to $30,000 and then went to the designated bank to give Ajibola the money.

It was learned that when she got to the bank, she called Ajibolatan to inform him that she was at the bank with the said amount.

However, trouble was said to have started after he sent her the office address and asked her to bring the money to his office, that as politicians, it was not safe for them to move around with large sums of money.

She was said to have left Yusuf, who was waiting in the car, boarded a motorcycle and went straight to Ajibola’s office at 28, Samson Street. Oke-Odo.

Spiritual bath, disappearing act

Vanguard learned that when she got there, she did not meet Ajibola, but met Mubarak Abdulahi who hypnotised her, gave her a sponge and soap, prayed for her and collected the money.

Abdulahi, it was learned, told her to use the soap and sponge to bath, while Bola Ojo spoke from the background as the voice of a purported holy ghost.

Vanguard gathered that immediately the fraudsters collected the money, they disappeared.

After waiting for two hours, she reportedly ran back to Yusuf and told him that she had been duped.

Meanwhile, the owner of the account debited of N6,036, 000 called Yusuf, her account officer, to ask about the debit.

He was said to have assured her that all was well, that he would pay back the money, saying the colleague he gave the money was duped.

Enter police

The account owner reportedly petitioned the Commissioner of Police, who then referred the case to the special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, for proper investigation.

During interrogation, Temitope was said to have revealed how she met Adebisi Ajibola in the bank, who is currently at large.

Abdulahi, who had closed his office and relocated to Ilogbo in Ogun State was arrested, and his arrest led to that of Bola Ojo, the prophetess.

Suspects’ story

Denying the allegation, 47-year-old, Abdulahi said: “I am an Alfa and a native doctor. It was my brother, Ajibola that introduced me to Temi.

“She told me that she wants to do money ritual, came to my house at Egbeda for prayers, that she needed to get pregnant and needed money to start her own business as she was tired of her banking job, which had become too stressful.

“I told her to bring N5.8 million to purchase the articles to prepare the rituals that would help her get pregnant, and become as wealthy as she desires.

‘Hunch-backed camel’

“She then brought the money which I collected.

“I told her I was going to buy seven camels that have hunch backs to prepare the concoction that will help her get pregnant.

“I have been into fraud for a while. I am married with four children, I am from Ilorin.”

The second suspect, Bola Ojo, said: “I am a prophetess of K&S and founder of K&S Boluwatife Parish, located at Iyana Ipaja.

“I have three children for three different men. He asked me to do prayers for her and afterwards gave me N200,000.

“I know he is an Alfa and most times, I call him to help me perform rituals for my clients. But Alfa is not my man friend.”