A female fraudster, who had allegedly been parading herself as a Customs officer, has met her Waterloo even as she currently cools off her heels in a Police cell.
The suspect, Rakiya Musa, after her arrest by crack detectives from the Zone 2 Police Command, Lagos, confessed to having been in the business for over 15 years.
Confirming Rakiya’s arrest, Zone 2 Police Public Relations Officer (ZPPRO), SP Hauwa Idris-Adamu, in a press statement, disclosed that AIG Ali Mohammed Ari in charge of the zone received a petition from two male victims of the fake Customs officer, Josiah Kashim Utenwojo and Dominic Okoh Henry, on 12 April 2023, to the effect that the suspect, who claimed to be in charge of Public Auction Unit of Tin Can Port in Apapa, had fleeced them.
As part of the suspect’s decoy, it was revealed, was to squat in the Nigeria Air Force Mess, Apapa for three months, apparently with her man friend, Akinwande Kayode, a retired Naval officer, who allegedly introduced the victims to her as capable of procuring auction vehicle from the Service for them.
The ZPPRO said that, upon receipt of the petition, the AIG immediately detailed crack detectives from the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department to investigate the allegation.
According to the Zonal spokesperson, “Based on the foregoing, the sum of Three Million Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N3,200,000) was transferred to Rakiya’s UBA personal account“, stating further that immediately Rakiya received the money, she became incommunicado, thereby dawning on the victims as having been fleeced.
A painstaking investigation by the operatives led to the suspect’s arrest in Abuja, in whose possession were the Nigeria Customs and Customs Clearing Agent identity cards.
When interrogated, Rakiya owned up to having been impersonating as a Customs officer for 15 years, all with the intent to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
“She also claimed to have given the sum of One Million Naira (N1,000,000) to her man friend, Akinwande Kayode, from the Three Million Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N3,200,000) she fraudulently obtained from the victims“, the ZPPRO disclosed, adding that, “In the light of the foregoing, the general public is advised to be wary of the antics of this fraudster, who has been swindling unsuspecting members of the public of their money”.
According to Idris-Adamu, investigation is ongoing, on the conclusion of which, the suspect would be charged to court.
Editor’s Note: The picture used is that of Ayomide Grace said to be a fake Customs officer involved in a fictitious car auction. The picture was used for illustrative purposes only.
Eighteen-Eleven Media