The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Osun Command on Thursday said that it had arrested two men that pretended to be herbalists so as to defraud people.

The Osun NSCDC Commandant, Emmanuel Ocheja, said this during the parade of the suspects in Osogbo.

He said the suspects, Adeyemo Mufutau, 26, and Oladiji Hezekiah, 27, were said to have called phone numbers of unsuspecting members of the public at random and compelled them to send money.

“On Monday, officers of the NSCDC in Ile-Ife arrested two suspects who indulged in the illicit business of calling members of the public on their phones, and pretending as old men/herbalists to defraud them.

“They will send fake recharge cards to people, and then call the receiver that the person should help return the cards, and afterwards introduce one ‘baba’ ( an old man)/ or a herbalist as the person intending to send the recharge cards to his son.

“They will say the ‘baba’ wants to specially thank anybody who sends the recharge cards back to them.

“During the process, the suspects would introduce themselves as old men/herbalists who wanted to reciprocate the kind gesture of those that had sent back the recharge cards to them.

“The suspects would say they wanted to help solve the problems of their unsuspecting members of the public,” he said.

The commandant added that the suspects had confessed to the crime and would be charged to court.

Similarly, Mr Ocheja said that two other suspects were arrested on Monday at a mining site within Ita Obi Community of Ilesa, for mining illegally while three others were also arrested on Wednesdsy for dealing illegally in petroleum products.

He said one Zainab Afeez was also arrested for assaulting and pouring hot water on her 11-year-old daughter, while one Abdulrahman Ibrahim was arrested in connection with a stolen vehicle in Osogbo but recovered in Kano.

Mr Ocheja said that all the suspects would be charged to court after the completion of investigations into their matters.

(NAN)