How a fraudster double crossed Ngelzarma police, two others: The story of Bello Muhd and Sulaiman Garba
Bello Muhammad is a resident of
Ngelzarma in Fune Local Government, Yobe State, Nigeria. He operates a phone charging business, where people bring their phones to be charged, and get paid for his services.
A fraudster came to his stall, saw an expensive phone, and made up his mind that he must have that phone and more. He went straight to the police station, with a t-shirt of the Nigerian Police, and a fake ID card. He introduced himself as a CID at the headquarters and reported that he had tracked a stolen phone to a charging center, to which he was given the mandate to go and bring the phone, and the man in charge of the business.
So he went to Muhammad Bello’s shop and sold him the same story he told the police, that he had tracked a stolen phone to his shop, and he will be taking Muhd with the phone to the police station. Muhd, knowing that he did nothing wrong, followed him to the police station which is located on the outskirts of the city.
The police did not bother to hear Muhd out, they undressed him, took out his keys and some personal belongings, and locked him up.
The fake CID took the phone and excused himself from the station after giving the police a fake phone number with a fake ID card. When he was asked if he has any evidence of the tracking, he said it is with his sergeant in the city and, that he will go and bring it.
He took a bike and went straight to Muhd’s shop, and asked the shopkeeper for his boss’s phone, that they were investigating the boss at the police station, and he was sent to collect the phones. The shopkeeper, recognizing the man as the person who went out with his boss, brought out the Muhd two phones and handed them to the fake CID.
Now, this guy has 3 stolen phones in his possession! He vanished, mission accomplished!
At the police station, it was almost 3 pm and the CID is not back. Muhammad started asking questions like ‘How could I be arrested for something I didn’t do, something I know nothing about?’
‘My work is to charge phones, I have nothing to do with phone ownership. I think a thorough investigation should be carried out.
‘The guy who brought the phone to my shop should be interrogated, not me’.
The police replied that they were waiting for the CID to come back. Muhd suggested that they call him via phone, but they couldn’t reach him, the number doesn’t exist. They continued calling but to no avail.
This wait continued up until 5 pm, and that was when Muhd’s family decided to visit the station for inquiry.
They lamented that people were waiting for him at the shop to collect their phones, so the police need to release him.
And they also enquired about the whereabouts of the so-called CID, but the police couldn’t give them a plausible explanation. The relatives expressed their disappointment with the officers that just believed a story from a stranger without any proof or evidence because he came with a handcuff and a fake ID card.
That was when concern began to creep in. ASP Musa Nuhu tasked his sergeants and corporals on a search parole, to bring that said CID wherever he is. After hours of searching, they reported him missing.
ASP told Muhd that ‘You two came here together, so there’s nothing we can do’. Muhd was dismissed, and he took the matter to a monarch, to which the monarch promised to assist Muhd as soon as possible
Unfortunately, the monarch dances to the tune of the officers, so he called them to confirm the incident and they did.
As he was making the call to the police, a couple that was there on the marital issues heard him when he called the police.
He failed to fulfill his promise of calling back, so Muhd went back a day after. The monarch said he was yet to meet with the officers, so he should exercise patience. Muhd complained that the phone owner, named Sulaiman Garba is on his neck to bring back the phone. “I tried to explain that the phone is with the police, but they are not accepting my explanation.”
The monarch promised to settle the matter the next morning. He met with the police in a closed-door meeting, while the Muhd was seated under a tree outside. After their discussion, they decided that Muhd should bring money so they will use it to track the three phones that were stolen.
Muhammad is now in a very artful situation, as Sulaiman Garba kept pestering him about his phone. Muhd is now a victim of police negligence, as his two phones, and that of his customer were stolen in broad daylight, by the swift action of a fraudster.
Neptune Prime reached out to the PPRO Damaturu, Dungus AbdulKareem, who at that moment knew nothing about the case. When briefed, he expressed disappointment and instructed us to give the victim his number immediately, so he can assist with the case.
At the time of compiling this report, we are yet to know what transpired between the victims, PPRO, and the Ngazalma police division.
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