The Ondo Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested a three-member syndicate for alleged impersonation and defrauding the state government on religious grounds.

Ondo State NSCDC Commandant, Dr. Hammed Abodunrin, who briefed newsmen, yesterday, at the corps state Headquarters in Akure, said the suspects were arrested following a tip off.

He noted that a suspect, Musliu Maja Oseni, aged 48years, residing at N0 4 Odo Road Ijede Street, Ikorodu, Lagos State, also defrauded a victim to the tune of ₦900,000 with the claim of being the franchise owner of the Fort Oil Fuel Station situated at Km 3 Ondo Road, Akure.

Abodunrin said investigation revealed that the suspect has lost the franchise since 2015, but acted in disguise by leasing out the filling station on March 10, 2016.

According to him, Oseni initially took the sum of ₦1.5 million, but later refunded the victim a sum of ₦600,000 and relocated out of Ondo State.

He noted that the three-man syndicate, namely; Toyin Oluwaseun, (f) aged 32years; Ismail Quazeem, (m) aged 40years and Tosin Michael, (f) aged 26years were arrested at No 4 Oke Uro Street, Irese Town in Ifedore Local Council of Ondo State.

He said: “Information deduced from the statement volunteered by the suspects revealed that Oluwaseun conspired with her husband Ismail Quazeem and her sister Tosin Michael as they both disguised with Hijab.

“They claimed to be converted Muslims, while defrauding a good number of Islamic religious leaders and the Ondo State Muslim Welfare Board.

“According to the prime suspect: Oluwaseun Toyin, who pretentiously gave her name as Silifat and at another time called her self Zainab, having obtained money fraudulently from the victims on the ground that she and her sister got converted to Islamic religion in Lagos State and escaped from their Parents to Ondo State due to stern resistance and persecution.

“Consequently, the younger sister changed her name to Sadiat while Ismail Quazeem conveys the duo to various mosques with his motorcycle demanding for money to the tune of ₦200,000 at different occasions.”

Dr. Abodunrin said the suspects were on the same mischievous mission when nemesis caught up with them.

He stressed that they would be charged to court at the expiration of investigation.