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| Nigeria Police Forces |
In a case that highlights the growing intersection of faith, social media vulnerability, and cybercrime in Nigeria, operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested Adewale Ogoemi Arojah for allegedly cloning the Facebook identity of a popular cleric and defrauding victims of more than ₦18 million.
Arojah, described in police statements and multiple reports as the son of a prophet (and in some accounts as a spiritual son of the victim), was apprehended by officers from the Ilaro Divisional Police Headquarters. The arrest followed a formal complaint lodged on October 3, 2026, by Muyiwa Akogun, widely known on Facebook as “Prophet Dr Muyiwa Akogun,” the General Overseer of God Center Ministry and God City in Ekiti State.
According to a statement by Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, Akogun approached the police after members of the public reported fraudulent activities being carried out in his name through a duplicated Facebook profile. Intelligence and detective operatives, using sustained technological monitoring and intelligence-led analysis, tracked Arojah to a village in Ajegunle along the Ilaro-Ibogun axis, where he was arrested.
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During interrogation, Arojah allegedly confessed to impersonating the real Prophet Akogun. He admitted using the cleric’s identity to deliver fake prophecies and offer prayer services to vulnerable individuals seeking spiritual assistance. Preliminary investigations showed he systematically targeted people interacting with or seeking help via the genuine prophet’s Facebook page, built trust, and extracted funds totaling over ₦18 million. Victims included people both within Nigeria and in the diaspora.
The suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) at Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation aimed at determining the full extent of the alleged offences, identifying any accomplices, and preparing the case for possible prosecution. Commissioner of Police Bode Ojajuni commended the Ilaro operatives for their vigilance, tactical discipline, and swift response, reaffirming the command’s commitment to tackling digital and physical threats.
How the Alleged Scam Worked
Details emerging from the investigation and accounts linked to the real cleric paint a picture of a calculated confidence scheme that exploited both religious devotion and the informal nature of social media interactions. According to reports of Akogun’s description of the tactics, the impersonator created Facebook (and in some accounts, TikTok) profiles using the prophet’s name and images. He would enter the Direct Messages of people seeking prayers or prophecies, engage them, request payments for spiritual services, and provide a phone number for transfers. After receiving money, he would promise additional interventions, then stop answering calls and block victims once the “prophecy” failed to materialise.
This method is a classic evolution of advance-fee fraud adapted to the digital age and the particular trust many Nigerians place in prophetic ministries. Victims—often facing personal, financial, health, or family crises—are primed to respond to offers of divine intervention. The use of a familiar, authenticated-looking profile lowers suspicion, while the private nature of DMs and subsequent phone contact makes verification harder for ordinary users.
Cybercrime, Faith Exploitation, and Social Media Risks in Nigeria
Cases like this do not occur in isolation. Nigeria continues to grapple with high levels of cyber-enabled fraud. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) data and analyses show advance-fee fraud and cybercrime accounting for a large share of offences, with significant recoveries and thousands of convictions recorded in recent years under intensified enforcement. University students have been flagged in official comments as heavily involved in some forms of internet fraud, reflecting deeper socioeconomic pressures.
Religious or “spiritual” scams form a particularly insidious subset. Self-styled prophets, pastors, and clerics—or those impersonating them—have featured in numerous fraud investigations involving investments, miracle products, visa schemes, and prayer-for-pay arrangements. The vulnerability is amplified for members of the diaspora, who may feel culturally distant from traditional support systems yet remain emotionally connected to Nigerian prophetic voices online. Hardships such as economic pressure, health challenges, and family issues create fertile ground for exploitation.
Facebook remains a key platform for such activity because of its large Nigerian user base, ease of creating lookalike accounts, and the prevalence of public pages and groups where people openly seek spiritual help. Cloning a profile is relatively straightforward: harvest photos, mimic language and posting style, and interact selectively with the real page’s audience. Platform verification tools and user reporting help but are imperfect, especially against determined local actors who understand cultural cues.
Ogun State Police have been building technological capacity. Initiatives such as the Gateway Shield platform and associated toll-free lines (0800 000 9111 and others) aim to lower barriers to reporting and improve response times for both physical and digital crimes. The command has also run public awareness campaigns against cybercrime, emphasising identity protection and caution around unverified online interactions.
Analysis and Unique Insights
This arrest underscores several structural issues. First, the monetisation of spirituality on social media creates both genuine ministries and abundant opportunities for fraud. When prophetic claims are delivered at scale online without institutional accountability, the line between ministry and marketplace blurs, and impersonators thrive in the gaps.
Second, identity theft on platforms is still too easy. While Meta and other companies invest in detection, cultural and linguistic fluency gives local scammers an edge that automated systems struggle to match.
Diaspora victims can be especially lucrative targets because of higher remittance capacity and greater difficulty in pursuing cross-border recovery.
Third, the speed of the police response—from complaint on October 3 to arrest and public statement within days—demonstrates improving digital forensics capacity at the state level.
Technological monitoring and intelligence analysis replaced older reliance solely on physical tips. Sustaining and scaling this capability will be essential as scammers adapt.
Finally, public trust is the real currency at risk. Every successful impersonation of a known cleric erodes confidence not only in that individual but in online religious engagement more broadly. Legitimate ministers face the dual burden of serving their followers and constantly policing their digital identities.
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Advice to the Public
Police have urged residents to exercise caution when engaging religious leaders or public figures on social media. Verify account authenticity (check for official verification badges, cross-reference with known websites or other platforms, and be wary of unsolicited DMs requesting payment). Never transfer money for prayers, prophecies, or spiritual remedies without independent confirmation. Report suspected cybercrime, impersonation, or suspicious activity promptly via the Gateway Shield toll-free line 0800 000 9111, or 09164859299 and 09154293464.
As investigations continue at the SCID, further details may emerge about the number of victims, exact methods of fund movement, and any network involvement. For now, the case serves as a clear warning: in an age when a Facebook profile can open the door to both genuine spiritual connection and sophisticated fraud, vigilance remains the strongest protection.
Samuel O. Sulaimon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Naijapiz. He covers News, Sports, Finance, Faiths, Education, Technology.
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