POLICE operatives from the Isheri-Oshun Division have arrested a wanted suspected blackmailer, Prince Chukwudi Samuel Timothy, for allegedly blackmailing the Eze Ndi Igbo in Ijegun and Ijedodo kingdoms, Eze Chika Nwokedi and Chief Sunny Akpaoyibo.
According to media reports, the suspect, popularly known as Chucks, was arrested on Thursday, March 23, 2023, after several weeks following a petition written by Eze Nwokedi and Chief Akpaoyibo to the Police.
The complainants alleged that the suspect demanded a certain amount of money from them through a text message and when they did not give it to him, he went on social media and alleged that Eze Nwokedi was a fake king and Akpaoyibo was a ritualist.
In a petition dated March 8, 2023, written by a law firm - Iwarahs Associates, it stated that sometime last year till 2023, the suspect went on social media and other online platforms and published a defamatory report calling Eze Nwokedi a deceitful and fake king that does not have a certificate to show that he is a traditional ruler.
Similarly, Akpaoyibo was shocked by a deluge of phone calls from friends and relatives demanding to ascertain the authenticity of the story published by the suspect, Chucks, calling him a ritualist and a blood-sucking demon parading himself as a good citizen.
“The said publication has affected the image of the complainants in the eyes of the reasonable members of the public both within Nigeria and beyond.
"Information at our disposal shows that the suspect and his group of thugs are people who capitalize on parading themselves as members of a cult group giving false information as a way of blackmailing members of the public to obtain money from innocent citizens,” the petition stated.
The suspect, however, admitted that he made a mistake and wanted the matter to be resolved.
However, the complainants insisted that the matter should be charged to Court and he should be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent for others who might try such in the future.
P.M. EXPRESS
