Police arrests ex-convict who extorts money from four girls while threatening to upload their nude photos online

7 years ago

Police arrests ex-convict who extorts money from four girls while threatening to upload their nude photos online

Police in Lagos has arrested a 35 -year- old man, identified as Michael Atanda, who has been extorting money from four ladies with threat of exposing their nude pictures online.

Atanda, said to be a computer science National Diploma holder, was taken into custody on Thursday by the surveillance Team of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of the State Police Command after days of trailing.

The Police issued a press statement saying that the accused, who is an ex-convict and father of three, had extorted about N121,000 from his four girlfriends, using the same threat but has demanded that the ladies pay more or have their nude pictures dropped in the social media.

The 35-year-old graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, who goes by the name Segun Bayo on Facebook said he usually adds several ladies on Facebook and after two weeks, would start chatting with them.

He confessed in front of the press, “The profile picture on my facebook account is that of a guy based in London, and so as part of my introductions to ladies, I tell them that, I am a Construction Engineer as well as that my parents and I are living in Europe.

“After sometime, I would lure them into sexual conversations during which, I persuaded them to send their nude pictures to me. They would send and I would send mine to them too.

“Before that I would pretend that I was seeking a serious relationship with them, and that very soon, I would be coming to Abuja on a business trip, during which I would see them.

“I would again feign my seriousness by calling them with the aid of computer software that transforms my Nigerian line into an international line. Meanwhile, I would warn them that I was calling through a public phone booth.

“As soon as they have sent their nude pictures, I would come up with all manners of stories. And begin to extort and blackmail them. Through this means, I have collected over N121, 000:00 from my latest victims.

“Iwas jailed last year in a similar circumstance after fraudulently collected N700, 000:00 from a lady I met through a dating site. I was eventually bailed but the case is still pending in the court” he confessed.

”I have collected only 10,000:00 from Funmilola, Motunrayo, N6,000, Joy, N5,000 and Lizzy, N100,000:00.”

The incident was reported to the police by one of the suspects, identified only as Lizzy.

All other suspects have reportedly refused to come forward, after confirming they were paying the suspect through his bank statement.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmus, while confirming the development, said the Police were embarking on a thorough investigation on the case to aid prosecution.