{"id":24416,"date":"2025-09-14T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-14T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=24416"},"modified":"2025-09-14T16:16:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-14T15:16:12","slug":"despite-forbidding-laws-nigerian-graduate-openly-markets-charms-for-internet-fraudsters-on-tiktok","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/despite-forbidding-laws-nigerian-graduate-openly-markets-charms-for-internet-fraudsters-on-tiktok\/","title":{"rendered":"Despite forbidding laws, Nigerian graduate openly markets charms for internet fraudsters on TikTok\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A young entrepreneur openly peddles ancient spiritual charms on TikTok, promising success to internet fraudsters. <\/em>DUBAWA <\/em><\/strong>investigates the truth behind this illicit trade, its impact on Nigeria’s global reputation, and the urgent need for law enforcement to break the spell. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A dark-skinned boy, probably in his early twenties, began an unusual advert in Yoruba on TikTok. Raising a covered calabash with his right hand, he began, \u201cWhen it\u2019s not as if you have a family that will challenge you, you better do Oshole. Don\u2019t come to my [inbox] to ask for \u2018update\u2019 because I\u2019m freely giving you one now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oshole is a spiritual charm that internet fraudsters in Nigeria rely on to boost their nefarious trade. \u2018Asking for updates,\u2019 as the advert says, is a slang term, meaning the process of seeking spiritual fortifications to aid their illicit activities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is the update, and OlaXash just delivered it,\u201d he said enthusiastically. The rest of the one-minute 15-second video<\/a> hyped the efficacy of OlaXash\u2019s services for internet fraudsters, also called \u201cYahoo boys\u201d or \u201cG-guys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not the only video online hyping OlaXash, a vendor of spiritual products. Another video<\/a> on her Instagram page showed a similarly aged boy advertising OlaXash\u2019s products, including charms for internet fraudsters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA found numerous videos on one of her TikTok pages<\/a>, which boasts 8,308 followers and over 102,400 reactions as of Jul. 7, 2025. OlaXash\u2019s Instagram page<\/a> is filled with screenshots of reviews from her clients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Collage of OlaXash\u2019s chat with a client. Source: Instagram.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

OlaXash also severely warned<\/a> online vendors from messaging her, stating that her Oshole charms are strictly for \u201cpeople pressing phones.\u201d The statement is an evasive reference to internet fraudsters, whom she also described as \u201cHustle guys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In another review she uploaded<\/a> on Instagram, OlaXash labelled her product \u201cYahoo soap.\u201d The buyer revealed that they had just defrauded a victim of bitcoin worth<\/a> over N264,000 ($175).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Collage of OlaXash\u2019s chat with a client showing her product. Source: Instagram\/ OlaXash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Oshole is deeply rooted in Yoruba spiritual traditions. It is designed to attract wealth and improve the user\u2019s business success. The progenitors were the Osho sect<\/a>, a sorcerer cult that traditionally combines specific herbs, roots, and sometimes animal parts to make charms. When combined and properly invoked, Oshole is believed to influence the spiritual forces that govern prosperity and luck in the user\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oshole is not considered malevolent or harmful, as it is believed to harmonise the user\u2019s spiritual energy with cosmic balance. However, many spiritualists now indiscriminately sell the charms and other spiritual products to perpetrators of evil, like internet fraudsters, to boost their \u201cbusinesses.\u201d Meanwhile, Ifayemi Elebuibon, the Araba of Osogbo land, revealed in an interview<\/a> that users must be above 40 years old at first, and 70 years old at the second usage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christiana Longe, a legal practitioner, said offering spiritual services becomes an offence when it aids criminal activities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn this context, the provider is offering spiritual solutions to individuals, particularly those involved in online crimes like Yahoo fraud. By doing so, she is providing spiritual services and enabling others who receive these services,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sinister support from self-acclaimed spiritualists like OlaXash fuels Nigeria’s relentless battle against internet fraud. In 2024, the World Cybercrime Index<\/a>, compiled by Oxford University and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Canberra, ranked Nigeria fifth among countries with the highest number of cybercriminals globally, behind Russia, Ukraine, China, and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between December 2024 and January 2025 alone, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested over 897 fraudsters on different occasions, including 197 foreigners. Interpol\u2019s Operation Red Card<\/a>, which led to the arrest of 306 suspects in seven African countries between November 2024 and February 2025, saw Nigeria lead with 130 arrests, surpassing Rwanda\u2019s 45, South Africa\u2019s 40, and Zambia\u2019s 14 combined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed that over 54,000 Americans reported being sextortion victims<\/a> linked to Nigerian perpetrators in 2024 alone, up from 34,000 the previous year. Between 2023 and 2025, American teenagers also coughed up about $65 million to the international perpetrators in Nigeria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe reputation of our country is at an all-time low across the world,\u201d said Dele Oyewale, the EFCC\u2019s spokesperson. \u201cIf you look at how other Nigerians are treated at airports, immigration, and customs, people are wary at various borders and airports. They subject us to extra scrutiny.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also revealed that the menace contributed to the country\u2019s low direct foreign investment inflow. He identified damage to the youth\u2019s future development capacity as a consequence of internet fraud in Nigeria. \u201cWe have a lot of convictions. In 2024, the Commission secured 4,111 convictions, the highest so far,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is OlaXash?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


<\/strong>Originally a sex enhancement products vendor, Aphrodisiacs by OlaXash is a small-scale enterprise registered under the Corporate Affairs Commission with number 7102881 on Aug. 18, 2023. The brand, owned by Ogunsona Olaitan Victoria, who hails from Ondo town<\/a>, recently celebrated its fourth anniversary in January 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms Ogunsona began her entrepreneurial journey in 2021 while she was still an undergraduate at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko. DUBAWA uncovered this fact after analysing a video<\/a> she posted on her oldest TikTok<\/a> account on Sept. 23, 2021. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She made the video at the university\u2019s New Relaxation Centre (RC). Behind her is the university\u2019s Exams and Records building. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
OlaXash dancing with a friend opposite the New RC at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko. Source: TikTok<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To validate our findings about her alma mater, we searched through the old account and found a video<\/a> made inside one of the lecture halls in the university\u2019s 30CQ premises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
OlaXash inside the university\u2019s 30CQ premises. Source: TikTok\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Her earliest shop was at 2, First Molac, opposite Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo. At the time, she only focused on selling aphrodisiacs, and her CAC certificate indicates that she deals in all kinds of spiritual products, body enhancement, sex enhancement, and infection products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She opened a unisex salon in Akure in December 2024 after joining the National Youth Service Corps in Ondo State four months earlier. In June 2025, she celebrated<\/a> her passing-out parade (POP), marking the completion of her mandatory one-year national service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite multiple attempts during our investigation, OlaXash repeatedly gave conflicting excuses to prevent DUBAWA from accessing her location. She said she doesn\u2019t do physical consultations, and her salesgirl\u2019s family member died. At another time, she said she went for fortification at Saki, Oyo state. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We inquired about her location from her dispatch rider, but he provided evasive responses. A further search through OlaXash\u2019s posts showed he has been a trusted hand<\/a> for her product delivery. Using Truecaller, we identified his name as Okoli Oyekanmi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA analysed videos on her social media and combined the findings with evidence from other reliable sources. We found her aphrodisiac shop at 40, Odige Street, Akure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
OlaXash\u2019s aphrodisiac shop in Akure. Photo Credit: Phillip Anjorin<\/em>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On April 30, 2025, she posted<\/a> on her TikTok page that she was on the verge of opening another shop. Analyses of her Instagram posts revealed that she started actively posting the spiritual charms in 2023.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within the period, OlaXash recently bought a 2013 Hyundai Sonata, which she revealed<\/a> costs N18 million ($11,250). This differed from her second, a Toyota Venza (2008-2015 model), priced between N6.5 million ($4,062.50) and N13 million ($8,125), and her first, a 2010 Toyota Camry, which costs about N5 million ($3,125) to N12.5 million ($7,812.50).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Data visualisation of OlaXash\u2019s cars. Designed by Phillip Anjorin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to use Oshole<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Following up on her TikTok adverts, DUBAWA went the extra mile to purchase the charm and understand the process thoroughly. We messaged OlaXash on her WhatsApp number to negotiate the charms\u2019 costs. She revealed that Oshole\u2019s price varies from N110,000 ($68.75) to N250,000 ($156.25). Some of the Oshole variants we discovered she sells blue<\/a>, 7-in-1 white<\/a>, ebu, yellow, and the most prominent, black. Ghost Client Soap<\/a> is another charm, more advanced than Oshole, and is created explicitly for internet fraudsters. This charm helps them attract and secure wealthier clients. It costs between N320,000 ($200) and N400,000 ($250). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among fraudsters, \u201cclient\u201d is a code word devised to avoid suspicion. It signifies the potential wealthy victim they are trying to defraud, not a real customer or business partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First-time users must use the curse-breaker soap, which costs N13,000. It purges the user\u2019s spirit against any hindrance that can prevent the efficacy of the main charms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Oshole or Ghost Client Soap is beyond a first-time user\u2019s budget, they can buy a starter kit, which costs between N43,000 ($26.88)and N68,000 ($42.5). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We bought the curse-breaker soap and the black Oshole for N160,000 ($100). The Oshole was a medium-sized calabash half-filled with locally made black soap. Six small white cowries were pressed into the calabash contents around a larger brown cowry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Oshole soap. Credit: Phillip Anjorin
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

OlaXash revealed that a user must start with the curse-breaker soap to purge them of any hindrance to the Oshole\u2019s efficacy. Such a user must avoid sex for seven days and nights without a break. If the user is a woman, she should use it after completing her menstrual period, as menstruation can tamper with the charm\u2019s efficacy. The user should use the charm at night and avoid leaving home after usage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA waited seven days before messaging her for instructions on using the Oshole charm. She said it is advisable to have sex before usage commences, as any sexual activity during usage is an abomination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She provided further instructions, including that the user should bathe with it for seven days, preferably at 6 a.m. or at night between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said, \u201cWhatever [the buyer] also desires should be claimed while bathing with it: \u2018Wealth far and beyond, goodness left and right, demons carrying fortune should bring it to me, and well-paying clients should come my way.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf [the user] already has client(s), they can say: \u2018May my client always heed my desires.\u2019 It must be used every day apart from Wednesday,\u201d she said in a WhatsApp voice note that DUBAWA obtained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cClient\u201d is a common term among Nigerian internet fraudsters, musicians who glorify them, and others who associate with them to describe unsuspecting victims of internet fraud, usually foreigners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t work\u201d\u2014 users counter<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite these elaborate instructions and assurances<\/a> on her social media page, not all users are convinced. <\/em>DUBAWA found many TikTok users who challenged her charms\u2019 efficacy in comment sections. In one of her pinned TikTok posts, she advertised the Ghost Client soap<\/a>, which costs N330,000 ($206.25). Only seven comments out of 284 indicated interest in the charm, while the rest were hostile reactions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA messaged some followers who indicated interest in verifying the efficacy of her products, but none replied. One TikToker who replied vouched for her services, though he has not used her products personally. Traders close to her shop also reacted with hostility when we attempted to speak with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, we found sources who shared their experience as affiliates in the dark world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dolapo* dated a fraudster who tried various spiritualists while in school, but none worked as expected. His friends also joined him in the futile search that often never seemed to end. \u201cAt some point, I started thinking that if he had gathered the money he regularly spent on these charms, it would be more profitable if he had started an enterprise instead of these futile efforts,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Dolapo* speaking with DUBAWA. Credit: Phillip Anjorin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

She revealed that some of his friends fared better than he did, but their sources could be more questionable. These factors, among others, made her fear for her life, which led to the relationship\u2019s demise. \u201cI began fearing for my safety, because I can\u2019t guarantee my safety with a person who can go to all these lengths, bathing at midnight and rubbing charms on his body just to defraud a white victim,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jaiyeola*, another former fraudster, spent more than N100,000 ($62.5) on three occasions for two spiritualists after subtle peer pressure. The allure was undeniable as he observed them from the sidelines during his undergraduate days in 2012. He said he started \u201casking for updates\u201d on how his \u201chustle\u201d could become a success story, too. \u201cThey told me it was just to speed up my money-making prospects, that I\u2019d be able to do things with less effort and get plenty of rewards,\u201d he said, while his face betrayed the anger he tried to suppress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Jaiyeola* speaking with DUBAWA. Photo Credit: Phillip Anjorin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first charm he tried cost N40,000 ($25), a significant sum for a student, but one he was willing to sacrifice. After receiving the items and following the instructions precisely, he bathed at night for three days, waiting for his fortunes to change, but nothing happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he reported his lack of results, his friend suggested he needed a more spiritually compatible charm. This time, he needed a sum of N60,000 ($37.5). Desperate, he borrowed the money from a relative, convinced by his friends\u2019 assurances that the investment would pay off. Yet again, after faithfully following the ritual, there were no results. \u201cLike the first time, nothing happened. My friends were supportive, though. I felt maybe it just wasn\u2019t meant for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He gave up and refrained from patronising them until he graduated. However, he was forced back to the old ways after experiencing hardship after school. This time, he found a different spiritualist to help unlock the promised prosperity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said, \u201cI went to him and said I needed help, as long as it didn\u2019t involve anything evil. He recommended another preparation, and I used it as instructed, but somewhere along the line, I lost interest in proceeding. That was the end of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since then, he has focused on personal improvement with God\u2019s help. It has been slow progress, but he said he\u2019s content.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While users like Jaiyeola express disappointment, spiritual practitioners offer a different perspective. Oluwo Akintomide, a spiritualist and lawyer, dispelled common misconceptions about Oshole as a magical shortcut to wealth for the idle or unemployed. \u201cOshole works alongside the work of your hand. You cannot be jobless and be doing Oshole. You won\u2019t see anything,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a TikTok post<\/a>, he likened Oshole to a \u201csignal booster\u201d that expands one\u2019s \u201ccircumference of possibilities,\u201d but only for those already engaged in productive work. He said, \u201cIt will cooperate with the work of your hand. Whether you are a trader, an entrepreneur, a business person, a contractor, or work online.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou must have something you are doing before you have something to boost it. It\u2019s not for people who sleep and wake up. Oshole will only help you boost the work of your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also addressed concerns about the morality and safety of such spiritual practices, stating that harmless charms hold no repercussions after usage. \u201cWe have universal rights over plants, animals, roots, and herbs. The only thing we don\u2019t have rights over is the life of another human being,\u201d he said. \u201cAs long as what you are doing does not involve taking another human being\u2019s life or destroying another human being\u2019s life, it will work for you well and there will be no repercussions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He asserted that Oshole is a spiritual enhancement for those already striving, not a replacement for hard work. \u201cIf somebody used to make N500,000, you can start making N5 million with Oshole. That is how it works. So you need to have something to do before you can boost it with spiritual fortifications.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TikTok, home for Oshole vendors<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Among Nigerian youths, TikTok is a prime space for vendors and marketers targeting a youthful audience and digital natives<\/a>. As of early 2025, data from DataReportal<\/a> revealed that TikTok boasted 37.4 million users in Nigeria, accounting<\/a> for 15.8% of the national population and 35% of the country\u2019s internet user base, who are mostly youth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The data reflect the global trend<\/a> where 36% of users worldwide are aged 18\u201324, 20% are in their teenage years, and another 25% in the 25\u201334 bracket. Users 35 years and above complete the numbers. As of 2025, only Indonesia (+22%) and Brazil (+18%) beat Nigeria\u2019s 17% growth rate<\/a>, making it the African country with the highest growth rate. Egypt, the nearest African country, occupied fifth position with a 14% surge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Nigeria\u2019s demographic profile on TikTok. Designed by Phillip Anjorin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While Instagram and YouTube have seen their user numbers decline<\/a>, TikTok continues to grow, thanks in part to its short-form video format and viral content culture. Spiritual product sellers, including Oshole vendors, leverage TikTok\u2019s algorithm and massive youth audience for advertising, often through trending videos, testimonials, and influencer partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Numerous accounts now openly promote Oshole and similar charms on TikTok, using hashtags and visually engaging content to attract the attention of the most receptive audiences. Using keywords on DorkGPT<\/a>, DUBAWA identified more than 22 TikTok accounts selling Oshole, even to audiences beyond Nigerian shores. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Data visualisation of oshole vendors on TikTok alone. Designed by Phillip Anjorin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One such TikTok user, Ifa Adeleke<\/a>, has over 42,500 followers, and his posts have received over 201,400 reactions as of May 18, 2025. Another, identified as Ifayomi247<\/a>, has over 51,200 followers and 179,600 reactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertising the charm for fraudsters violates TikTok\u2019s community principles<\/a> on regulated goods and commercial activities. The principle states that TikTok does not allow the trade or marketing of regulated, prohibited, or high-risk goods and services. Such goods enjoy illegal traffic on unofficial markets (black or grey markets) and are \u201cregulated for a reason.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a control mechanism, the platform deployed diverse efforts against defaulters, including automated detection. Between July and September 2024, the platform removed<\/a> over two million videos uploaded by Nigerian users for violating its community guidelines. Also, OlaXash disclosed<\/a> on Feb.27, 2025, that her main TikTok page has been banned permanently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data from the platform\u2019s 2024 Q3 Community Guidelines Enforcement Report<\/a> revealed that 99.1% of the removals occur within 24 hours. The platform also removed 92.1% of the videos before any community member reported them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, vendors exploit some fundamental weaknesses to ply their trade. Using slang or disguising harmful charms, such as Oshole, as harmless spiritual services, they evade the platform\u2019s automated detection<\/a>. Also, they quickly adapt to takedowns by reposting content through new accounts or tweaking their language just enough to slip past the filters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, the platform’s inability to understand local contexts<\/a> hinders it from automatically identifying such dangerous posts, despite claiming a 98.2% proactive detection rate globally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vendors selling harmful products successfully exploit the limitation when appealing their account ban. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exploiting these regulatory gaps poses real consequences for the platform\u2019s users. Such charms are now normalised on TikTok, increasing vendors’ sales and access to a larger audience interested in online fraud. The products\u2019 widespread presence legitimises them to vulnerable youth and helps accelerate demand and use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These regulatory lapses compromise TikTok\u2019s community safety and broader societal well-being. As such products gain fame on the platform, impressionable young Nigerians become more vulnerable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These cast a doubt on TikTok\u2019s commitment to curbing illegal activities on its site. As long as TikTok fails to understand and act on local, cultural, and linguistic realities, it will remain a key avenue through which fraud-related charms spread and thrive in Nigeria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does the law say?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

OlaXash and other sellers\u2019 promotion of Oshole charms to internet fraudsters on TikTok raises significant legal questions under Nigerian law. While no statute explicitly prohibits advertising spiritual products, her activities violate several regulatory frameworks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Section 210 of the Nigerian Criminal Code<\/a> criminalises possessing juju or charms intended for harmful purposes, such as aiding fraud. Subsection C particularly says, <\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u201cAny person who makes or sells or uses, or assists or takes part in making or selling or using or has in his possession or represents himself to be in possession of any juju, drug or charm which is intended to be used or reported to possess the power to prevent or delay any person from doing an act which such person has a legal right to do, or to compel any person to do an act which such person has a legal right to refrain from doing, or which is alleged or reported to possess the power of causing any natural phenomenon or any disease or epidemic; is guilty of misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for two years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her actions also contravene Section 213(a) of the Criminal Code, which says,
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnyone who makes, sells or keeps for sale or for hire or reward, any fetish or charm which is pretended or reputed to possess power to protect burglars, robbers, thieves or other malefactors, or to aid or assist in any way in the perpetration of any burglary, housebreaking, robbery or theft, or in the perpetration of any offence whatsoever, or to prevent, hinder or delay the detection of or conviction for any offence whatsoever; is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for five years.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on available evidence on her Instagram page, authorities could argue that marketing Oshole as a tool for enabling cybercrime contravenes the Cybercrimes (Prohibition) Act<\/a>, which penalises aiding fraud through \u201cany means.\u201d Though she is not a principal offender under Sections 22 (identity theft\/impersonation) and 14 (computer-related fraud), her services support internet fraudsters\u2019 activities in the country, thereby violating Section 27(b), which says, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny person who aids, abets, conspires, counsels, or procures another person(s) to commit any offence under this Act; commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to the punishment provided for the principal offence under this Act.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By interpretation, OlaXash conspires, aids, and abets the violation of Sections 22 and 14 of the Cybercrime Act. Under the Cybercrime Act, she is liable on conviction to not less than 14 years imprisonment cumulatively, a fine of not less than N29 million, or both fine and imprisonment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Possible charges against OlaXash. Designed by Phillip Anjorin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIgnorantia juris non excusat,\u201d said Victor Giwa, a legal practitioner and the national coordinator of Advocates for People\u2019s Rights and Justice. The expression is a legal term coined from Latin, which means ignorance of the law is not excusable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He explained that the law targets possession, promotion, and sale of such items with the intent to facilitate crime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He distinguished between the lawful use of charms for personal protection and their unlawful use to aid criminal activities. He said, \u201cCarrying a charm for self-defence against theft or armed robbery does not constitute a crime under Section 213 of the Criminal Code. However, when such items are used or sold to enable or conceal criminal acts, the law unequivocally deems this illegal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the law\u2019s clarity, Mr Giwa expressed concern over the inadequate enforcement of these provisions. He pointed out that agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have the authority to prosecute offences related to charms but have not sufficiently prioritised this area. He called on security agencies, including the police, to establish specialised units dedicated to investigating the production and sale of these charms, monitoring their promotion online, and identifying traditional practitioners involved in these activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSecurity agencies, particularly the police and other relevant authorities, should establish a dedicated unit responsible for investigating why people are making these charms, monitoring their activities on the internet, and identifying traditional or native doctors involved in such practices,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While practising traditional medicine is not illegal, practitioners must be held accountable if their activities contribute to crime. Giwa called for the proper registration of the traditional herbalists. He said, \u201cThere should be a unit within the Nigerian Police Force responsible for registering anyone who wishes to engage in traditional medicine. Many of these practitioners have contributed to the rising crime rate, especially among young people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, he urged authorities to take decisive action against the charms’ online advertising. He recommended leveraging social media platforms to shut down accounts that openly promote these products, as such advertisements fuel criminal behaviour and worsen the problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

EFCC sounds a warning to spiritualists <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When we presented our findings to Mr Oyewale, the EFCC\u2019s spokesperson, he revealed that the Commission will commence its independent investigation. He further warned spiritualists that the Commission would prosecute culprits who provided such support under the Cybercrime Act. He said, \u201cIf it can be established that there is criminal support, our laws provide for punishment for such people.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stated that the Commission will equally punish culprits aiding and abetting internet fraudsters under the relevant sections of the Nigerian law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe EFCC will not hesitate to invoke any relevant section of our law to deal with anyone aiding, abetting, or supporting Internet fraudsters to ply their trade. As long as it can be established, they\u2019ll be treated like the major culprits, and society will be better for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms Longe, citing the Cybercrime Act, urged the EFCC to take legal action against OlaXash and other vendors in the trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn this scenario, the spiritual provider is using her services to boost young people’s confidence to commit fraud,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter reviewing the messages and screenshots provided, it is evident that she is operating with impunity, despite the provisions of the Cybercrime Act. Law enforcement agencies should take action based on this evidence,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Editing\/ research credits<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Lead Editor: Kemi Busari<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Sub Editor: Lois Ugbede<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Copy Editors: Simbiat Bakare, Ropo Sekoni<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    A young entrepreneur openly peddles ancient spiritual charms on TikTok, promising success to internet fraudsters. DUBAWA investigates the truth behind this illicit trade, its impact on Nigeria’s global reputation, and the urgent need for law enforcement to break the spell.  A dark-skinned boy, probably in his early twenties, began an unusual advert in Yoruba on TikTok. Raising a covered calabash with his right hand, he began, \u201cWhen it\u2019s not as if you have a family that will challenge you, you better do Oshole. Don\u2019t come to my [inbox] to ask for \u2018update\u2019 because I\u2019m freely giving you one now.\u201d Oshole is a spiritual charm that internet fraudsters in Nigeria rely on to boost their nefarious trade. \u2018Asking for updates,\u2019 as the advert says, is a slang term, meaning the process of seeking spiritual fortifications to aid their illicit activities.  \u201cThis is the update, and OlaXash just delivered it,\u201d he said enthusiastically. The rest of the one-minute 15-second video hyped the efficacy of OlaXash\u2019s services for internet fraudsters, also called \u201cYahoo boys\u201d or \u201cG-guys.\u201d This is not the only video online hyping OlaXash, a vendor of spiritual products. Another video on her Instagram page showed a similarly aged boy advertising OlaXash\u2019s products, including charms for internet fraudsters.  DUBAWA found numerous videos on one of her TikTok pages, which boasts 8,308 followers and over 102,400 reactions as of Jul. 7, 2025. OlaXash\u2019s Instagram page is filled with screenshots of reviews from her clients.  OlaXash also severely warned online vendors from messaging her, stating that her Oshole charms are strictly for \u201cpeople pressing phones.\u201d The statement is an evasive reference to internet fraudsters, whom she also described as \u201cHustle guys.\u201d In another review she uploaded on Instagram, OlaXash labelled her product \u201cYahoo soap.\u201d The buyer revealed that they had just defrauded a victim of bitcoin worth over N264,000 ($175). Oshole is deeply rooted in Yoruba spiritual traditions. It is designed to attract wealth and improve the user\u2019s business success. The progenitors were the Osho sect, a sorcerer cult that traditionally combines specific herbs, roots, and sometimes animal parts to make charms. When combined and properly invoked, Oshole is believed to influence the spiritual forces that govern prosperity and luck in the user\u2019s favour. Oshole is not considered malevolent or harmful, as it is believed to harmonise the user\u2019s spiritual energy with cosmic balance. However, many spiritualists now indiscriminately sell the charms and other spiritual products to perpetrators of evil, like internet fraudsters, to boost their \u201cbusinesses.\u201d Meanwhile, Ifayemi Elebuibon, the Araba of Osogbo land, revealed in an interview that users must be above 40 years old at first, and 70 years old at the second usage. Christiana Longe, a legal practitioner, said offering spiritual services becomes an offence when it aids criminal activities.  \u201cIn this context, the provider is offering spiritual solutions to individuals, particularly those involved in online crimes like Yahoo fraud. By doing so, she is providing spiritual services and enabling others who receive these services,\u201d she said. This sinister support from self-acclaimed spiritualists like OlaXash fuels Nigeria’s relentless battle against internet fraud. In 2024, the World Cybercrime Index, compiled by Oxford University and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Canberra, ranked Nigeria fifth among countries with the highest number of cybercriminals globally, behind Russia, Ukraine, China, and the United States. Between December 2024 and January 2025 alone, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested over 897 fraudsters on different occasions, including 197 foreigners. Interpol\u2019s Operation Red Card, which led to the arrest of 306 suspects in seven African countries between November 2024 and February 2025, saw Nigeria lead with 130 arrests, surpassing Rwanda\u2019s 45, South Africa\u2019s 40, and Zambia\u2019s 14 combined. Meanwhile, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed that over 54,000 Americans reported being sextortion victims linked to Nigerian perpetrators in 2024 alone, up from 34,000 the previous year. Between 2023 and 2025, American teenagers also coughed up about $65 million to the international perpetrators in Nigeria.  \u201cThe reputation of our country is at an all-time low across the world,\u201d said Dele Oyewale, the EFCC\u2019s spokesperson. \u201cIf you look at how other Nigerians are treated at airports, immigration, and customs, people are wary at various borders and airports. They subject us to extra scrutiny.\u201d He also revealed that the menace contributed to the country\u2019s low direct foreign investment inflow. He identified damage to the youth\u2019s future development capacity as a consequence of internet fraud in Nigeria. \u201cWe have a lot of convictions. In 2024, the Commission secured 4,111 convictions, the highest so far,\u201d he said. Who is OlaXash? Originally a sex enhancement products vendor, Aphrodisiacs by OlaXash is a small-scale enterprise registered under the Corporate Affairs Commission with number 7102881 on Aug. 18, 2023. The brand, owned by Ogunsona Olaitan Victoria, who hails from Ondo town, recently celebrated its fourth anniversary in January 2025.  Ms Ogunsona began her entrepreneurial journey in 2021 while she was still an undergraduate at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko. DUBAWA uncovered this fact after analysing a video she posted on her oldest TikTok account on Sept. 23, 2021.  She made the video at the university\u2019s New Relaxation Centre (RC). Behind her is the university\u2019s Exams and Records building.  To validate our findings about her alma mater, we searched through the old account and found a video made inside one of the lecture halls in the university\u2019s 30CQ premises. Her earliest shop was at 2, First Molac, opposite Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo. At the time, she only focused on selling aphrodisiacs, and her CAC certificate indicates that she deals in all kinds of spiritual products, body enhancement, sex enhancement, and infection products. She opened a unisex salon in Akure in December 2024 after joining the National Youth Service Corps in Ondo State four months earlier. In June 2025, she celebrated her passing-out parade (POP), marking the completion of her mandatory one-year national service.  Despite multiple attempts during our investigation, OlaXash repeatedly gave conflicting excuses to prevent DUBAWA from<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24258,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"hannibal_claim_source":"","hannibal_source_label":"","hannibal_card_color":"blue","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_bluesky_share_type":"","_mastodon_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[4352,120,1571,3812,3815],"tags":[],"verdict":[],"ppma_author":[3263],"class_list":["post-24416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dubawa-in-depth","category-economy","category-fact-check","category-headline","category-homepage"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8R6dE-6lO","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":3263,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"phillip-anjorin","display_name":"Phillip Anjorin","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/98daaf5d9d7a2c5cd4ce1c417532d1cfa2ca293247710cf46a925146cc2e90e1?s=96&r=g","author_category":"","user_url":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/olacash.png?fit=1080%2C930&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24416","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24416"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24416\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24417,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24416\/revisions\/24417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24416"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24416"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24416"},{"taxonomy":"verdict","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/verdict?post=24416"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=24416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}