Towards the end of yesterday January 5, 2024,the Nigerian police revealed three individuals who were apprehended under suspicion of being linked to the well-known Instagram blog, Gistlover.
The police statement read:-
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 payroll of the said platform and having enjoyed incentives like car gifts and monies, Adebukola was saddled with the responsibility of scouting, editing and captioning content including the cyberstalking 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 violations of policies at the instance of reports from Law Enforcement Agencies, the suspect using his platform would 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 content, feedback, 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 who having observed the lucrative nature of the Blackmailing, cyberstalking, and false information market, decide to imitate the Gistlover blog.
By so doing, he created several 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.”‘’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.” the statement added
The arrests were made following a petition submitted by Hon and Doctor Mrs. Seye Oladejo, who claimed that these detainees had engaged in activities involving conspiracy, cyberstalking, and the endangerment of others’ lives.
However, shortly after the supposed apprehension of the Gistlover team, the true identity behind the controversial blog emerged and openly ridiculed the Nigerian police for parading individuals who are falsely claimed to be associated with the platform.
Read the statement shared on the page’s account;
@nigeriapoliceforce you guys are a big joke🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣, is this how useless and senseless you guys are, big joke and clout 🤣🤣🤣just to prove what?? bring one evidence wey una see say na those boys be gistlover, make una do una mumu finish , ati arrester ooo ati petitioner ooo, all of una na lawsuit Go Jam una this new year, since you all have money to waste for court, let’s fvcking go there , aye yin onida.”
