A 25-year-old man, identified as Emeka Osemel, has been arrested for allegedly stealing a mobile phone in Boji‑Boji Owa, a community in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State.
The suspect was apprehended by members of the Owa Youth Vigilante, a local security group operating under the Owa Youth Council, before being handed over to the Nigeria Police Force.
During an interview following his arrest, Osemel confessed that he had previously engaged in internet fraud, commonly known as “Yahoo Yahoo,” which had sustained his lifestyle for an extended period. According to him, declining returns from online scams over the past six months forced him to turn to petty theft.
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“For the past six months, the Yahoo business has not been paying me again. Because of that, I decided to start stealing people’s properties just to survive,” he admitted.
Originally from Aliagwai Community, Osemel currently resides in Alihame Community, both within Ika South. He pleaded for forgiveness from the community, promising to abandon criminal activities. “I want you people to please forgive me. It will not happen again,” he said.
Community sources confirmed that officers from the Owa‑Oyibu Police Division later took custody of the suspect at the vigilante headquarters. The police are expected to conduct further investigations and interrogations as part of the ongoing probe into the incident.