By Titus Adeolu Adekunle
After the news broke out about a 400-level Physiotherapy student at the University of Ibadan involved in a fundraiser scam on 20th October, 2020, I decided I was going to get to the bottom of the case. The story bounced over a number of players, but I was invested in finding out what really happened. Some of those I spoke to include the owner of the twitter account that made the scam tweet, the sponsors of the initial fundraiser which was subsequently hijacked, the owner of the phone number attached to the scam fundraiser message, some of those that have had encounters with the alleged scammer, and of course, the alleged scammer himself. I also obtained series of recorded phone conversations, screenshots, and disclaimers in a bid to authenticate the statements of the various parties. The investigation spanning 3 days could have been concluded much earlier barring the incessant breaks in conversation with the alleged scammer.
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
At about 10pm on 20th October, 2020, an account on twitter (@Blvck_queen) posted the picture of a gunshot victim with a caption soliciting for funds, a phone number, and Polaris Bank account details attached as well. I was shocked to see replies that tagged the tweet as fake. I could also confirm that the story did not add up because the picture appeared to have been taken at the Triage Area of the University College Hospital’s Accident and Emergency ward; however, the handle claimed the patient was at the Orthopaedic Hospital in Igbobi. Someone rightly asked why a head gunshot victim was being managed at an Orthopaedic hospital. I cannot confirm if that happens, but it sure raises eye brows.
By morning, some students and alumni of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan posted pictures belonging to Babatunde Omogbehin as the face behind the scam. The handle had mentioned the account name in one of the replies. People believed the handle belonged to the scammer or was a part of whatever swindling was on going. Therefore, a tangible amount of curses were rained on her as emotions were raging hot following the news of the Lekki Massacre. The tweet was taken down that morning.
After combing @Blvck_queen’s media, I realized the owner of the handle ran an authentic hair business. I reached out to her through her friend because her DM was not open and she did not responding to her mention. Shortly after, she reached out.
@Blvck_queen narrated how she was only trying to help. She had seen the message on her friend’s WhatsApp status and offered to help her share the message on twitter. Her friend claimed to have seen the message on a prayer walk group for the EndSARS protest.
Find attached screenshots from the conversation with her friend. Notice she had to ask for the name of the hospital and the name of the account; answers which she supplied when people asked her.
The next day, she saw the replies tagging her as a scammer and reverted to her friend who send her the contact of the person that send the message to the group. The contact turned out to be the phone number of Babatunde Omogbehin.
@Blvck_queen eventually got a voice recording of a phone conversation between Babatunde Omogbehin and someone else where he claimed innocence as he only volunteered his account number at the behest of someone on an #EndSARS protest group.
But then, this is not really the beginning of the story,
HOW DOES THE STORY REALLY START?
In the absence of an effective health insurance scheme, majority of Nigerians still rely on out-of-pocket payments for medical bills. This is perhaps a reason crowdfunding for medical bills are a lot common. Many are legitimate. Some others are fraudulent. This story is not about the many ills of the country as made evident by her health system. This is about the ills of her citizens, using other people’s stories to profit themselves. Perhaps contrarily, Babatunde could be innocent and only a “victim of circumstances” as this disclaimer on Twitter suggests.
This story starts on 20th October, 2020, when Alapo Oladotun and his other distressed friends were combing various hospitals in Ibadan for their friend. They eventually found him at the Accident and Emergency Ward of the University College Hospital (UCH) where he was being managed for gunshot injury to the head. To help raise money for his Computerized Tomography (CT) scan and other hospital fees, Oladotun decided to compose a fundraiser message which he immediately posted on his WhatsApp status with his own GT Bank account number.
His well-meaning friends took screenshots and shared with their contacts too. Some copied the message and sent to various groups they were on. One of such people was Lekzy Cut who was a childhood friend with the gunshot victim, and in fact, introduced Oladotun to the victim some years ago. Lekzy Cut shared the message on an #EndSARS protest group chat. Babatunde Omogbehin was also on that group.
How a fundraiser broadcast message with a GT Bank account changed to Polaris bank account has, indeed, been the bone of contention; as well as the murky waters of the motivation behind of the sudden change.
WHAT ELSE CHANGED?
Sometimes, you wake up and things are not the way you left them before you went to bed. This was how Wole woke up on 21st October and discovered with his phone case not properly closed. He was also quick to notice his Airtel SIM card was missing from his phone. He asked Babatunde, who was close by. Babatunde denied any knowledge of the whereabouts of the SIM and even joined Wole to search for the missing SIM. Now, Babatunde was hosting Wole at his family’s place for their Physiotherapy outside posting in Lagos.
Wole soon started receiving disturbing phone calls and messages alleging he was involved in a fundraiser scam. He was confused, as well as scared. Babatunde who was in the same room was also receiving suspicious phone calls. Wole’s uncle also reached out alleging he was out to smear the family’s name. It was when Wole came online that he found out the phone number of Airtel SIM that was missing was used as the RSVP for a fundraiser with Babatunde’s account number in the mix. He confronted Babatunde who then opened up he removed Wole’s SIM when he (Wole) was asleep and used the phone number in the broadcast message – the very same SIM they were search for together.
Wole has since put out a disclaimer on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Euchromatin12/status/1318824447638470656?s=20) and also responded to a query from his department. The traumatic experience put him on a suicidal path. He has also refused to take the SIM Card back from Babatunde.
WHAT WAS BABATUNDE’S INTENTION?
I first tried to reach out to Babatunde on 21st October but he did not pick the call. Thereafter I texted him on WhatsApp and introduced myself and my mission. He told me he would get back to me. After reminders, he finally reached out about 24 hours later to narrate how he found the Lekzy Cut’s message on a protest group.
He then claimed Lekzy Cut reached out to him privately to solicit for donation, but he could not help. Lekzy Cut then asked him edit the broadcast message, add his bank account and phone number, and disseminate. Babatunde then edited the message but did not want to use his only phone number so he used Wole’s Airtel SIM instead because it was not Wole’s main call line. It was this message@Blvck_queen’s friend saw and posted on her status. @Blvck_queen then tweeted the message.
In a recorded phone conversation I obtained from @Blvck_queen, which was forwarded to her by her friend, Babatunde claimed to have been caught in the scam after someone (which would be Lekzy Cut) reached out to him to edit the initial broadcast. Speaking in Yoruba, Babatunde stated that the reason was because “OladotunAlapo’s bank account was full”. I still do not know what that means, but I hoped to find out. In another phone conversation I obtained from another source, he stated the Lekzy Cut told him the initial bank account had reached its limit.
To be sure Babatunde was not the pawn to be sacrificed in this game, I asked Babatunde to send evidence of his conversation with Lekzy Cut, this was what he sent.
The first obvious thing about the screenshots were the deleted messages.
Asides that, notice the time the screenshot was taken – 9:34pm, which corresponds to the time the Lekzy Cut “Lekan” sent his last message. Does this mean the screenshot was taken immediately after the messages were sent and deleted on the 20th October 2020, or they were coincidentally taken 9:34pm on 21stOctober 2020? Unfortunately, the chat does not provide the date the messages were sent in.
Also glaring, Babatunde only responded with voice note so we cannot confirm the details for the conversation. However, how reasonable is it to provide your account details and phone number via voice notes? While I cannot establish whether the bank details and phone numbers were sent to this mystery Lekan by voice notes, both Lekzy Cut and AlapoOladotun have insisted that they do not know who Babatunde is and have never interacted with him outside the group chat. Lekzy Cut claimed he found out about the @Blvck_queen ‘s tweet on his friend’s What’s App status and then informed Oladotun.
There are still holes I hope would be plugged if only Babatunde would respond to my messages and phone calls.
There are many questions I could not provide answers to, but would have helped in sealing my investigation.
- Why did Babatunde say the patient was at Igbobi?
As a Physiotherapy student concluding his fourth year, the walls of the Accident and Emergency Ward of UCH should not be so strange, having spent over two full years in UCH especially having undergone rotations in Surgery. In addition, in one of the voice recordings I was able to retrieve, Babatunde was aware the patient was in UCH.
2. Why did Babatunde have to join Wole in searching for a SIM card that was with him?
Maybe he did not want Wole to find out he took the SIM card, fearing Wole might not like it. or he just did not want Wole to know for sinister reasons. Another question I have been unable to answer.
3. What was the content of this supposed conversation with Lekzy Cut if indeed he reached out?
4. Let us assume Oladotun’s account could have been “full”. The original broadcast message was sent out at about 9pm. Less than 2 hours later, Babatunde’s version was on twitter already. How much donation did Oladotun receive at such short frame? You may also see the picture of the investigation (test) form in the screenshot. It has a UCH header. Where did Igbobi come from again?
5. In all of this, why would Lekzy Cut trust a stranger with the donations when he has friends and has not even used his own account to receive donations?
HAVE THERE BEEN ANTECEDENTS?
During the course of my investigation, I spoke with a number of people who have had encounters with Babatunde Omogbehin. I found a handful of other allegations which would deserve another investigative article, but not from me.
WHERE IS THE CASE NOW?
Babatunde reached out at about 10am on Saturday, 24th October. He told me he traveled down to Ibadan that morning to meet with Lekzy Cut and Oladotun Alapo, and they were going to meet up with the victim’s parents to sort things out. Babatunde then told me he stopped responding to me because he was told to stop. We could not conclude our conversation and I am still not certain where the instruction was from, but I respected it.
About 8pm, I got a voice note from someone who attended the meeting with the victim’s parents and other parties involved but was unaware of my discoveries. Again, Babatunde’s narration at the meeting seemed to contravene all I found over the preceding 3 days.
My source tried to make me understand Babatunde acted on his own accord to change the bank details on the broadcast message. His intent was to make his contacts believe the fundraising campaign seeing it had his own details. He had hoped to remit the money to the designated account belonging to OladotunAlapo until it was, unfortunately, flagged as scam. In this new narrative, Lekzy Cut never reached out to him as he stated in two different voice recordings and his private chat with me.
Indeed, Babatunde’s story is as cheese, rattled with holes and inconsistencies. However, the family of the victim believes a version of the story where Babatunde was only a zealous good Samaritan who only acted in good faith and in the best interest of the campaign. And since the donations have been remitted, the issue to them stands resolved. Although, he said he only 6,500 naira was donated (in one of the early voice recordings), the source at the meeting said Babatunde remitted a sum of 24,500 Naira to the victim’s parents who have since considered the case resolved.However, I understand the Department of Physiotherapy is still looking into the case and have since issued him a query.
