The Nigeria Police Force reports that its Cybercrime Centre, prompted by a petition filed by Hon and Doctor Mrs Seye Oladejo, has apprehended three individuals in connection with allegations of cyberstalking and threats to life.
In a statement on Friday, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, identified the suspects as Adebukola Kolapo, Nnedum Micheal Somtomchukwu, and Isaac Akpokighe, aged 27, 25, and 30, respectively.
They are allegedly associated with the Gistlover family syndicate responsible for managing the Gistlover blog—a microblogging platform known for cyberstalking, incitement, blackmail, and other illicit activities that have prompted public outcry over the years.
During interrogation, the suspects denied direct involvement with Gistlover, but one admitted to creating a fake Gistlover page to gain followers on his social media account.
The police statement disclosed, “Upon arrest, the suspects revealed their various degrees of involvement in the conspiracy, corroborating the already available overwhelming pieces of evidence.”
Adebukola Kolapo, also known as Omo oba Gistlover, was identified as a significant contributor, responsible for creating over 80 percent of the Gistlover pages.
He allegedly scouted, edited, and captioned content, including cyberstalking posts against the complainant, Hon. and Dr. Mrs. Oluseyi Oladejo. Adebukola was claimed to be on the platform’s payroll and had reportedly received incentives such as car gifts and money.
The statement further explained the involvement of the second suspect, Nnedum Somtochukwu, in redirecting traffic to the blog whenever it faced sanctions, while the third suspect, Isaac Akpokighe, was described as an imitator who created several pages mimicking Gistlover’s activities.
The suspects are expected to face charges upon the completion of the investigation. The Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, warned against any form of collaboration that promotes the illegal activities of Gistlover and similar blogs.
He commended the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center and reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to ensuring citizens’ safety in both physical and digital spaces.
[See the full statement below]
NPF-NCCC UNVEILS THREAT ACTORS BEHIND COMPLEX CYBERSTALKING AND BLACKMAILING BLOG, ARRESTS 3, RECOVERS 12 ACCOUNTS.
As the IGP reaffirms Police commitment to Ensuring Improved Digital, Physical Safety.
In an onward fight against the menace of cyberstalking, threat to life and blackmailing schemes operating in the guise of micro blogging pages, and contending with the online safety of many, the Nigeria police Force National Cybercrime center, acting on a petition at the instance of Hon and Doctor Mrs Seye Oladejo have arrested three in connection with a case of Conspiracy, Cyberstalking, and threat to life.
The suspects namely Adebukola Kolapo Nnedum Micheal Somtomchukwu and Isaac Akpokighe, all male of ages 27, 25 and 30 respectively are members of a syndicate called Gistlover family, responsible for the daily running of the Gistlover blog, a microblogging platform known for Cyberstalking, incitement, Blackmail, and sundry, which has over the years been a course for public outcry.
Upon arrest the suspects revealed their various degrees of involvement in the conspiracy, corroborating the already available overwhelming evidences. The first suspect Adebukola Kolapo a.k.a Omo oba Gistlover was responsible for the creation of over 80 percent of the Gistlover pages thereby lending his digital footprint for the perpetration of the aforementioned criminal act. Being on the pay roll of the said platform and having enjoyed incentives like car gifts and monies, Adebukola was saddled with the responsibility of scouting, editing and captioning contents including the cyber stalking post made against the complainant, Hon. and Dr. Mrs Oluseyi Oladejo. Adebukola has also contributed in laundering monies gotten from the illegal scheme through various means.
In more developments, digital Forensic analysis led to the recovery of eight (8) gist lover pages created on the instruction of the head of the syndicate by Adebukola, and wallet addresses used in laundering these monies.
The Second suspect, One Nnedum Somtochukwu also shared in the conspiracy wherein at every point the page was taken down for certain infractions and violation of policies at the instance of reports from Law Enforcement Agencies, the suspect using his platform will by all means redirect traffic to the new page, helping the blog to evade sanctions.
Enjoying incentives like referrals for promotions from the head of the syndicate, Nnedum has also been found sharing contents, feed backs, and making defamatory remarks with the said head of the syndicate.
The Third suspect, Isaac Akpokighe a 30 years old male resident of Igando Lagos State unlike the duo above, is like hundreds of Nigerians whom having observed the lucrative nature of the Blackmailing, cyber stalking and false information market, decides to imitate the Gistlover blog. By so doing, he created several of such pages and mirrors the activities of the blog including reposting the defamatory and life-threatening post against the complainant and many other notable Nigerians. Digital forensics led to the recovery of four gistlover pages created by Isaac Apkokogho.
The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
While strongly warning against all sorts of partnerships that promote the illegal activities of this blog and others engaging in similar activities, the Inspector General of Police IGP Olukayode Egbetokun PhD. NPM, applauds the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center led by CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry as he reaffirms the commitment of the Force to ensuring the safety of citizens in the physical and digital space.
ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA
5th January, 2024
Ada Peter
