Hyacinth Chinweuba
The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on Sunday, May 31; arrested a 19-year-old National Diploma holder of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.
He was accused as the brain behind the blackmail of Queen Salawa Abeni with half- nude photographs.
A decoy team of the RRS arrested the suspect, Olufowoke Oladunjoye Emmanuel; a resident of Brentfield Avenue, Peace Estate, Magboro, Ogun State, on Thursday after three days of trailing him.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu had directed the Commander, Rapid Response Squad, DCP Olatunji Disu to fish out the suspect after the blackmail attempts on Salawa Abeni.
After a technical diagnosis of the complaint, the team narrowed down on the suspect a few days later.
In his confessional, Emmanuel revealed that he is the mastermind behind the ploy to publish some nude pictures of Salawa Abeni in exchange for money; adding that he was alone in the scheme.
The suspect disclosed that he saw the nude pictures in a memory card; which he picked up on the floor in Yabatech sometime in November 2019.
He added that after downloading the nude photographs of Salawa Abeni on his phone; he picked up her mobile number from her Instagram page.
“On 1st of April, 2020, I chatted her up and also called her after sending a few of the photos to her online.
“My intention was to negotiate with her for a few bucks; and for me to destroy the photographs.
“I thought everything was going on fine; until the following day when I heard the news of the blackmail over the radio. I was with my mother. She was even cursing the blackmailer unknown to her that I was the brain behind it.
“I immediately sneaked out, destroyed the memory card; and threw my mobile phone and SIM card into a nearby wetland in Magboro.
“Since then, I never mentioned it to anyone and called Madam Salawa Abeni about it again”, he disclosed.
Commenting on the arrest, CP Hakeem Odumosu stated that no individual would be allowed to commit a crime in Lagos from any state or escape to other states in Nigeria to evade arrest.
He advised guardians to monitor their wards; emphasising that the internet is a fertile ground for opportunities; but the State Command would not allow criminals to use it as an avenue to exploit law-abiding Lagosians.