The Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police has arrested two Islamic clerics, Fatai Bamidele and Lateef Ahmed, for allegedly obtaining N30m from Lawal Sulaiman, a Lagos-based businessman, under false pretence.
Police authorities said the suspects obtained the money from Sulaiman with a promise to perform ritual to make him wealthy and invincible.
Sulaiman said he was hypnotised and held in captivity for three months by Ahmed in Kwara State.
He denied approaching the clerics for money ritual, saying he only sought protection from evil forces.
He said, “I supply fireworks and Bamidele’s shop is very close to mine. I’ve known him for years and I trusted him to the extent that I discuss my personal problems with him.
“One day, he told me that he had a bad dream about me and that I would need special prayers. He said I would need to buy a ram and 40 Qurans for 40 Imams who would pray over the matter. I paid N125, 000 into his bank account to facilitate it.