Police arrest unmarked taxi fraudsters
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If you think that stories about people falling victim to fraudsters in taxis and buses are just myths, this incident may change your view. In a case of “every day is for the thief, and one is for the owner,” the police in Lagos, late October, put an end to the duping career of two women and three men who have probably defrauded many users of commercial transportation in Lagos. The alleged fraudsters: Mary Amechi, 36; Bethel Osuagwu, 39; Chidi Ani; Ndidi Nwanne; and Ifeanyi Ubadike, 42, were paraded at the Oduduwa Police Station on Thursday.
Last straw
The group’s last victim before they were arrested, Precious Chinwe Chidi, had been waiting at Ulom Bus stop at Ajangbandi for 30 minutes for a bus going to Mile 2 where she worked as a motor park attendant. A brown Jetta with registration number LA99AAA pulled over.
“The normal fare is 80 but three bus stops away, one of the women in the car started arguing that she won’t pay N150,” Ms. Chidi said. “The driver then parked and they got out of the car and started arguing. He later started accused the woman of carrying a carton full of money, instead of the Pampers (baby diapers) she had told him.”
According to her, the woman, Mrs. Amechi, then started pleading, saying she was escaping from her husband, an Alhaji, because she had refused his request for her to sleep with a dog. She said her supposed husband was away in Saudi Arabia, so she entered his secret room and discovered cartons of money. She said she took only one carton because she was not greedy.
The driver, Mr. Osuagwu, then asked all the passengers to alight, saying he would only carry Mrs. Amechi. But another passenger, Mr. Ani, disagreed, saying
“na eye wey see go chop” (meaning he must have a share of the money), arguing that if he was excluded from the cash find, he would expose Mrs. Amaechi and the driver. It was then decided that everybody would be settled.
According to Ms. Chidi, they all went to meet a “prophet” in a dark room lit with candles somewhere at Igando to pray over the money.
“I told them I was going to work but the driver said I would report so I must go with them,” she said. “We met the prophet who said we needed to buy some things worth N14,000 for him to break the curse on the money. I gave them the N2,500 I had on me.”
Bring 10 per cent
But that was not enough. Mr. Osuagwu took her to an ATM machine where she withdrew her last N2,000. On their return, Ms. Chidi was told that she would get N16 million but that since the amount involved was so much, she had to bring 10 per cent (N1,600,000). While complaining that the amount was beyond her means, some police officers, acting on a tip-off from a resident of the area who suspected a foul play, intervened and arrested them.
In his confession, Mr. Ubadike, the “prophet”, said that he had lost count of the number of people he had duped and the amount he had realised since he started the deal in 1997. He said his ultimate target was to make money after he himself was similarly duped in 1995.
“I was also greedy when I was duped just like she (Ms. Chidi) was greedy,” he said. “It was all a conspiracy because she did not see the money. We only showed her a carton. It is only greedy people that fall mugu (fool),” said Mr. Ubadike, a drop-out from the Anambra State Univeristy of Technology.
Mr. Osuagwu said he joined the group in 2007 after he was earlier duped of N250,000. He said his take-home after operations varied.
“Since I started, about 10 mugus have fallen,” he said. “But after sharing the money, the highest I have realised is about N30,000. But this quickly goes because my wife go chop, house rent, children school fees. But I have no regrets,” said Mr. Osuagwu, a father of three.
Charges
Police spokesperson, Lagos State command, Frank Mba, said the five suspects are being charged for conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence and stealing.
“Nigerians need to know how these fraudsters operate,” he said. “They are desperate! Though the amount involved was N4,500, if she had millions, they would have milked her. And this could have happened to another person.”
Mr. Mba said that commuters should use only legitimate means of transportation boarded at designated parks and avoid entering unmarked vehicles.
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