How I lost N36m after meeting ‘River Goddess’ — 88-Year-old woman says

An 88-year-old woman has been allegedly duped by fraudster who introduced her to one supposed ‘River goddess’ in Ondo State.

The aged woman, identified as Tawakalitu Ilumoka revealed that she was defrauded of N36 million by one Olorunfemi Ayodeji who alongside his accomplices, introduced her to a water goddess.

Speaking with Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting at Ikeja, Lagos State Ilumoka stated that Ayodeji introduced her to some people when she cried out that her son based in the United States of America was ill.

She explained that she sold a piece of land for N100m and gave Ayodeji N100,000.

According to her: “I called Otunba (Ayodeji) and told him about my son’s health challenge. He said I had to bring him to Ondo State.

“Though I complained that Ondo is some distance from Lagos, I agreed because he insisted my son could only be treated in Ondo.

“He, therefore, linked me up with some persons, namely Fakunle and Fabummi.”

She stated further that Fakunle and Fabummi took her to where she met a woman alleged to be a water goddess.

She said, “They eventually took me to a thick bush, where there was a well-fenced house. I was scared and I asked them why I was brought there.

“They then led me to a room in the house, filled with a pool of water. A woman came out of the water and they told me she was Olokun (river goddess).

I was asked to lower my head and was warned not to look at the goddess in the face.

“They said Olokun wanted to give me money, but I declined, insisting that all I wanted was for my son to recover from the illness.

“I couldn’t comprehend all that Olokun was saying, so they were the ones interpreting her words to me.

“They later took me to another room, and they all entered one after the other.

“They covered their faces with pieces of white clothes. When they mentioned my father’s and mother’s names, I was confounded.”

According to her, when she got home the trio began to ask her to send them money of which she wasted no time and paid the sum of N5m, N10m and N11m at different times.

However, her son eventually died and she reported the incident to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, who arrested Ayodeji and recovered the sum of N1.8m from him.

Ayodeji is facing three counts of obtaining money by false pretences, contrary to Section 1 (1)(a) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006, and stealing, contrary to sections 278 (1), (2) and 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The case was adjourned till September 30, 2022, for continuation of trial.