Yobe State Police Command has arrested what it described as inveterate fraudsters who disguised themselves as a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and swindled their innocent victims of the sum of N78,900.000.00....For More CONTINUE THE FULL READING▶▶
The disclosure was made by the Command PPRO, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, in a crime bulletin he made available to journalists in Damaturu on Friday, stating that the Command frowns at the criminal acts and has directed in-depth investigations.
According to him, the Command received a complaint of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and criminal breach of trust from Ibrahim Mohammed and Abubakar Usman of Abasha Ward, Damaturu.
The complaint was that Mohammed Modu of Nayi Nawa Ward, Damaturu, collected 180 bags of maize grains, of which each bag was valued at N40,000.00, amounting to a total sum of N7,400.000.00, while the payment was agreed to be made after supply reached its destination to an NGO based in Maiduguri. Consequentially, no payment was made for quite several days, and no goods were returned.
The Commission of Police directed the State Intelligence Department to carry out an immediate investigation.
On January 30, 2024, the principal suspect, One Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, aged 44, of Anguwan Sinusi, Kaduna State, who was on the run, was arrested in Kaduna State, hiding, while her accomplice, Sunday Ezra Haruna, aged 35, who is the secretary of the gang, and One Ishaku Abdulsallam, aged 40, of Hotoro, Kano State, who served as an accountant, were arrested in a different location in Kano and Maiduguri.
The PPRO added that the suspects specialised in luring unsuspecting victims, mostly farmers and marketers, to a contract to buy food items by disguising and presenting themselves as NGO officials.
They did this by deceiving the innocent victims to buy without cash in hand as well as demanding large quantities of their goods with false promises to pay after supplying them to a particular destination in Borno, Yobe, or any place of choice, pretending to donate them to an IDP camp.
He added that after a supply, they will request that they wait for the money and later sell them at gift-away prices without the victim’s knowledge and cart away with the proceeds, leaving their victim(s) in shallow anticipation, thereby boycotting all communication.
The following are some of the victims who were defrauded: Mohd Modu of Nayi Nawa Ward, defrauded of Maize-Grains worth N7,400.000.00; Ibrahim Mohd and Abubakar Usman of Abasha Ward, defrauded of Maize Grains worth N22,000,000.00
Others are Alh. Arma Yau Yahaya of Bauch State defrauded rice worth N29,995.000.00, and Ishaku Salihu Chaptu of Mangu, Plateau State, maize grains worth N22,000.000.00. Similarly, two other victims were rescued as detectives intercepted their supply before offloading.
Meanwhile, seven suspects were currently brought to the Department in connection with the shady deals of receiving stolen property and illegitimate buying.
Dungus Abdulkarim warned that it is pertinent to inform the populace that NGOs are legitimate organisations registered with the state for humanitarian services; hence, demand for money is not part of their operational procedure.
However, they source relief materials from recognised and registered distributors and marketers with proper documentation and records.
In this vein, the Commissioner of Police, CP Garba Ahmed, urged members of the communities to be weary of such types of fraudsters and impostors who parade themselves as NGOs defrauding marketers of their lawful earnings.
“Fervently, the Command placed measures to identify and arrest anyone found procuring, abetting, or perpetrating any acts similar to this, and the culprit(s) napped will face the full wrath of the law,” he warned.
The communities are advised to report any suspicious acts of fraudulent conduct to the nearest police station for prompt action.….CONTINUE FULL READING>>>
