Nigerian Policemen

By Richard Elesho/ Lokoja

These are dangerous times. ‘Spirits’ now make phone calls. Men in flesh and blood, put on the appearance of spirits, cajole their victims and proceed to defraud them.

The practice has landed two of such “spirits” Aljannu in custody of Katsina Police Command. 30-year-old Sadiq Ashiru and his 27-year-old comrade in crimes were on Wednesday, paraded by the command.

The bane of the suspects was the theft of an ATM belonging to a lady and unrelenting attempts to defraud her through persuasive phone calls from the spirit world.

The spokesperson of the Command, SP Gambo Isah, who confirmed this in a statement said nemesis caught up with the suspects when they stole the ATM card of one Rabi’atu Garba, in Mani LGA of the state and started calling her that they are spirits (AlJanu) and asked her to avail them with the PIN number of her card.

Isah said the suspects upon interrogation confessed to have defrauded several unsuspecting persons in the state through the same modus operandi.

According to him, “Last Friday, at about 12:00hrs, the Command succeeded in arresting the duo of one Kabiru Bashir, 27-year-old and Sadiq Ashiru, 30-year-old, both of Danbatta Local Government Area of Kano state, notorious fraudsters who specialize in defrauding unsuspecting members of the public through phone calls posing as spirits (ALJANU).

“Nemesis caught up with the suspects when they stole the ATM card of one Rabi’atu Garba, ‘F’ of Mani LGA of Katsina state and started calling her that they are spirits (AlJanu) and asked her to avail them with her ATM card PIN number.

“The suspects deceitfully told her that they are about to bless her by sending one million naira to her account and directed her to go to her bank, in Katsina and update her account.

“She became suspicious and reported the matter at the Central Police Station, (CPS) Katsina.

“In the course of the investigation, the suspects were trailed and arrested. They confessed to the commission of the offence and stated that they have defrauded several unsuspecting persons in the state through the same modus operandi.

“One Honda Ham pane, white in colour with Chassis No. JHMGD173025215012, NSCDC ID card bearing one Kabiru Bashir, two (2) ATM cards, four (4) GSM handsets and the sum of one hundred and twenty-six (N126, 000:00K) were recovered in their possession during a police search. Investigation is ongoing,” SP Isah stated.

For now, the suspects are warming up for their date with the long arms of the law.