‘My yahoo boyfriend used my panties for money ritual’

A 32-year-old physiotherapist, Rachael Godwin, has recounted to the police in Lagos how her boyfriend, whom she described as a “yahoo fraudster”, used her panties for money ritual.

Godwin, a worker at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, alleged that the boyfriend, one Olumide, connived with a friend of his to force her to wear panties he had used for a ritual.

The lady, who narrated her experience to journalists at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja, yesterday, said she met the suspect sometime in January 2018.

She said, “I met him in a BRT bus heading to Ikeja from Ikorodu. On that day, he directed me on how to get to the police headquarters, during which we exchanged mobile numbers. We kept in touch for a while and he later told me he had gonorrhea and I treated him.  We became close and then lovers. I guess he must have hypnotized me such that I really didn’t know what I was doing again. I gave him my entire savings. He even lodged in a hotel at Ketu for four months and I paid the N185,000 bill.

“He later took me to his father at Ikosi. They live in a very unhealthy environment, for which I pitied them and offered to help. I rented an apartment for myself in November 2018 and he visited me there same month. On December 12, 2018 when he visited me, he said he wanted to buy a Venza; I asked him how much and he said it was N11.8 million. I asked him how he would raise that kind of money and he said we should open a joint account. I used the documents for a property I had to obtain a loan and even promised him I’d gather all I had from my bank account.

“My trouble started on December 14, 2018 when he came to my house and gave me one of my panties to wear. But I told him I wouldn’t want to wear the panties because I was not comfortable in it.  He then called a neighbour called Helen who helped him to force me to wear the panties. After wearing the panties, I ran mad. I was taken to my mother’s house and, later, to Ibadan for treatment and I became better.

“Somehow, I did not suspect him.  I still kept relating with him. On December 31, 2018, when I went to a church for thanksgiving, I was given some prayers to be saying every midnight. He came to be living with me. While I was praying this January, Olumide started shouting,

‘Stop praying, they have wired the money. It is only $2000 from Alaska in USA.’ ”

In his confessional statement, Olumide said that he actually received some money from Alaska, USA, but was shocked to discover the $2000 only mounted to N750,000. He also said he gave Helen, the alleged accomplice, a sum of N300,000.

Police investigation on the matter is continuing, while the suspect is being detained in police custody.