• Victims raise alarm 10 years after
Police detectives attached to the Zonal Monitoring Unit of Zone 2 Command Headquarters Onikan, Lagos, have arrested a 43-year-old Islamic cleric, for allegedly collecting N150 million from one of his faithful and changing the identities of his children and wife.

Also arrested with him were four others, including the cleric’s wife and his native doctor, who helped prepare charms that were used to ‘reset the memory’ of the faithful.

Parading the suspects, yesterday, the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Muhammed Ari Ali, said the complainant’s eye opened 13 years after spending his life serving on the cleric.
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The AIG said: “On July 17, Animashaun Oluwasegun, also known as Afeez Uthman, brought a petition of criminal conspiracy, compelling action by intimidation, obtaining by false pretence, threat to kill, suspected ritualist, stealing, criminal charms and conduct likely to cause to breach of peace against one Alhaji Afeez Uthman Imole Ayo, Alhaja Mushirafat Kekelomo Salaam (female), Saheed Ajayi Uthma, Temidayo Rashmon, and others at large.

“The petition was referred to the anti-piracy unit for discrete investigation.  A team of operatives led by Mariam Ogunmolasuy, officer in charge of anti-piracy, swung into action and apprehended five suspects in connection with the alleged crime, and one white Toyota Venza 2009 model, one Ashuk Leyland bus with registration number JJJ933YD and various landed properties were recovered.

“The suspect, Afeez Uthman Imole Ayo, 43, confessed to be an Islamic cleric and founder of Amaaniyat – UR- Rahman Global Congregation.

“He confessed to have received N105 million from the petitioner, Animashaun Oluwasegun. He equally compelled the petitioner to change his name on his American International Passport and social security number from his original name to the suspect’s own.

“Furthermore, the suspect abducted the petitioner’s wife and children for more than 10 years, and subsequently changed the complainant’s wife and children’s names to his personal name through the help of his wife, Alhaja Mushirafat Kikelomo Salaam, for extortion purposes.

“He then converted all the petitioner’s properties to his own personal use, claiming that God directed him to do so.”

The AIG added: “It was God that opened the petitioner’s eyes 10 years after, when he realised what he was doing and got himself together, relocated from the United States of America where he was based and put up the petition.

“It is my humble advice to both Muslim and Christian faithful to be careful with whoever is called Pastor and Alfa because all that glitters is not gold. The suspect’s wife confessed to the falsification and alteration of the birth documents papers of the complainant’s children by changing the children’s birth identities to Alhaji Afeez Uthman’s name without the complaints’ consent. She also admitted to have received over $17,000, equivalent to N11.817 million.

“The native doctor, Oyedokun Amos 65, who usually assists the suspect to prepare charms for his customer, confessed that he knew the suspect for over 15 years ago and that they became friends and business partners. He admitted preparing charms with which the Islamic cleric used to ‘reset the memory’ of the complainant.”
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