The Ondo State Police Command has announced the arrest of six men who allegedly posed as pastors and defrauded unsuspecting residents of the Idanre community in the Idanre Local Government Area of the state through fake “miracles.”
The accused were named as Fadahunsi, Kolade, Tijani, Iyanuoluwa, Arijesulola, and Ademola in a statement released by Jimoh Kazeem, the command’s police public relations officer.
According to the police, the arrests came after an intelligence-driven operation carried out on February 16, 2026, by Community Safety Officers and members of the command’s tactical squads.
“On 16th February, 2026, operatives of the Command’s Tactical Teams, in collaboration with the Community Safety Officers, carried out a well-coordinated operation following credible information about the activities of a suspected fraud syndicate operating within Idanre and its environs,” the statement read.
“The operation led to the arrest of six suspects alleged to have organized and executed fraudulent schemes targeted at unsuspecting members of the public.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that the suspects posed as pastors and religious leaders, staging fake miracles and spiritual interventions to gain the confidence and trust of their victims.”
The defendants allegedly took advantage of the inhabitants’ faith and vulnerabilities by promising divine remedies to their money problems, health issues, and other personal issues, only to deceive them with false pretenses and associated scams, according to the police.
The spokesperson went on to say that investigations revealed the suspects worked together in a planned fashion, giving each gang member a distinct role to play in order to produce what he called a systematic and convincing façade of legitimacy.
“Further investigations are ongoing to ascertain the total number of victims, determine the financial magnitude of the fraud, and identify other collaborators who may still be at large,” the statement added.
According to the police, the suspects are still being held and will face charges in court after their investigations are finished.
The command warned citizens against people who exploit religion, spirituality, or claims of miracles as a pretext for illegal activity and advised the public to apply caution and due diligence.
