A 28-year-old man, Oluwanisola Quadri, was arrested by the Oluyole Security Surveillance Team in Ibadan, Oyo State, after he was accused of defrauding numerous Point of Sale (PoS) operators and traders. Quadri tricked them into believing he had transferred money to their accounts via a bank app, but instead, he sent them fake credit alerts.
His modus operandi involved approaching PoS operators to ask for cash, claiming he would transfer the money, along with the necessary commission. However, he would manipulate the credit alert on his phone—altering the name, date, and time—then forward it to the operator, making them believe the payment was completed. Quadri began this fraudulent activity in June and successfully deceived many until his arrest in September by the Oyo State Police Command’s Ashi Division.
Unable to meet the bail conditions, Quadri was remanded in Agodi Correctional Centre, Ibadan, where he remained until late November. Some fellow inmates helped him meet bail conditions, leading to his release. Unfortunately, after his release, he resumed the fraudulent activities, claiming he had no means to survive.
Quadri, suspected to be a drug addict, appeared disoriented and barely audible when speaking to the Nigerian Tribune. His drug addiction reportedly began when he was admitted to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso. He became so dependent on drugs that he used his school fees to purchase them. When he couldn’t pay his fees, he was barred from taking exams, which led to his decision to leave the university. His father, a well-known petrol dealer in Saki Town, later discovered his son’s addiction and sent him to a rehabilitation center.
Despite treatment, Quadri returned to drug use and eventually turned to fraud to fund his addiction. He targeted PoS operators, took cash, and sent fake transfer receipts to make it appear as if he had made the payment. He also duped chemists and traders by sending false receipts for goods or services.
Quadri’s criminal activities came to an end when he tried to defraud a PoS operator at Olomi Junction in Ibadan, requesting N20,000 and sending a fake transfer receipt for N20,400. When the operator claimed not to have received the credit alert, Quadri tried to leave but was apprehended after being followed. It was discovered that he had been released from Agodi Correctional Centre just a week before this arrest for the same crime.
Quadri’s father, when informed of his son’s arrest, reportedly declined to intervene, stating that his son should be dealt with according to the law. In an interview, Quadri admitted to his fraudulent actions and drug addiction, acknowledging his father’s disappointment and his own failed attempts at rehabilitation.