…as bank remains
lock, workers, manager disappear
 |
| Dike |
A father of four, Mr.
Obinna Dike, broke down and wept as he recounted how a microfinance bank
disappeared with his money.
Dike said he opened
that account with the bank just to save money for his children school fees.
Today, all the money is gone and the bank staff nowhere to be seen.
Speaking in an
emotion-filled voice, Dike said: “It breaks my heart seeing my children staying
at home because of school fees. I thought saving the money with the
microfinance bank was the best option to ensure the money was not touched or
spent, but now everything is gone. My kids are all at home.”
The businessman, who
deals on vehicle spare parts, said that he was ashamed that his wonderful
kids couldn’t go to school as his money was trapped in Aguda Titun
Microfinance Bank Limited, Olodi Apapa branch, Lagos State.
According to him, as
if the situation was not bad enough, the bank is now allegedly accusing him of
destroying one of their computers, which, they said, was equivalent to his
money that is with them.
Dike said: “It was
one of my customers that introduced the microfinance bank to me last year. The
customer said it was a very good bank. I opened the account with N2,000
last November and since then; I have been saving N2,000 every day for my
children school fees. I thought it would be easy for me to pay their school
fees ones they resumed. But things didn’t go as planned.
“When it was time to
pay school fees, I went to the bank and discovered there was a problem. I
couldn’t get my money. I went to the bank and they told me that there was no
money. I had been able to save up to N150,000 and my kids’ school fees are
N180,000.
“I want to the bank
to get my N150,000, and to get money somewhere and balanced it for the
children’s school fees. Four of my children are now at home, after being
driven away from school for not paying their fees. The school has been patient
enough with me. I kept promising them, hoping that I would get the money from
the bank. I cannot pay the school fees; the bank keeps dribbling other
customers and I. They would tell us, come today, and come tomorrow, as if we
didn’t have anything doing than going there every day.”
Dike noted that sick
and tired of going to the bank every day, and after several efforts to get the
management of the bank, he and other customers reported to Trinity Police
Station, Olodi Apapa.
He said: “I was very
annoyed with the attitude of the bank staff and management. They were not
coming to the bank and when they do, they would close their office’s door. They
didn’t want anyone to know they were indoors. Customers would be waiting for
them. I sincerely believe they are hiding from us. They owe us an explanation.
We need to know what happened to our money.
“Even the police
that we alerted have not helped the matter. We thought by now, we would have been
able get our money from the bank. Although the police arrested some of the
staff and my account officer, but nothing fruitful has been achieved. My
account officer and others were bailed the following day. Police told me that
the bank has written an undertaken on how it would refund our money.
“On the first
appointment, they gave us a date to come and get our money. I went there and
they gave me N40,000, to balance N110,000. They said that I should come for the
balance, and I went on the agreed date. They told me that the management had
written another undertaken on how my money would be balanced, which was March
10. I still went there on that date, but still nothing happened.
“One day, I went to
check on the bank and I noticed that the office door was opened. I quickly
called the police; a policewoman was sent. One of the bank staff we met
that day resisted arrest, forcing the policewoman to return to the police
station for a backup. I advised the bank worker to follow the policewoman, but
he refused and called his boss. He told the boss that I had destroyed their
computer. I thought he was joking with me. Later, when we got to the police
station and within sometimes, another worker with the bank brought a computer
in a tricycle. They claimed that I smashed the computer on the ground. But God
alone knows that I didn’t touch anything in that office.”
Dike appealed to
regulatory bodies in charge of microfinance banks to come to their aid and
assist them to get their money.
Another bank
customer, Mrs. Franca Ikeh, said that she had been banking with the
microfinance bank for three years now and was surprised over what was happening
now.
She said: “I started
suspecting that something was wrong last year. I told my family members that I
was coming to the village in December. I went to the bank to withdraw some
money, but the bank asked me to go and come back. They insisted they didn’t
have enough cash on ground. They asked me to wait so that some customers would
lodge in money. I started going to the bank again this year for my money. They
keep asking to come today and come tomorrow, but didn’t give us any money. I
learnt they took one of the customers to the police station for tampering with
their property, which is a lie! They are only looking for ways not to pay the
man his money.”
Ikeh added that she
desperately needed her money, because she needed to buy some goods.
On March 19, our correspondent visited the bank
and discovered that there was nobody in the office. Our correspondent also made
several attempts to get the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the bank
via his phone number, but the line, 08023408042, didn’t go through. The phone
number of Dike’s account officer, Mr Denise, 08096938192 also didn’t go
through.
The state Police Public Relations Officer
(PPRO), SP Chike Oti, said that police were already on the matter.
He added: “The bank’s workers who go out to
collect money from people, included traders on daily bases, failed to remit the
deposit to their office. Police have made arrests. The police are interacting
with the suspects. I can tell you that the suspects are also assisting police
with the investigations.”
-------------------------
Police uncover
workshop where stolen cars are refurbished
Taiwo Jimoh
Police in Lagos have
discovered a mechanic workshop, located at Ipakodo Ikorodu, where stolen cars
are refurbished before being sold off.
Police said that
after refurbishing the cars, they would be moved to other parts of the country
where to be sold.
The owner of the
workshop, Opeyemi Ogundokun, 24, has been arrested and is currently detained at
the command’s headquarters.
The other suspects
arrested in connection with the case are Abdulwaheed Abdulkareem (28),
Nurudeen Abdulrahman (38), Shehu Shittu (42) and Muslim Abdulwahab (40). They
were all arrested at Rigassa village, Kaduna State.
The Lagos State
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Edgal Imohimi, said the suspects were arrested
sequel to a complaint, which the command received from Mr Saheed Aminu on
November 19.
Imohimi noted that
the complainant alleged that his green coloured Toyota Camry car, marked
ER 468 KRD, was stolen in front of his rented apartment at Ikorodu, where it
was parked.
He said: “It was
based on the complaint that detectives from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad
(SARS), Ipakodo, were mobilised to go after the car thieves. Intelligence
reports revealed that the vehicle was parked at the workshop of Opeyemi
Ogundokun, an auto mechanic. When Opeyemi was arrested and interrogated, he
made some startling revelations. These revelations led detectives to a town
called Rigassa in Kaduna State. At Rigassa, two suspects were arrested.”
Imohimi explained
that the syndicate’s job was to steal cars from where they were parked or
snatched at gunpoint from their owners. After that, the cars would be
refurbished at Opeyemi's workshop before being moved to northern parts of the
country, where they would be sold.
He added: “Investigation
led to the arrest of Shehu Shittu (42), Nurideen Abdulrahman (38) and
Musiliu Abdulwahab (40), who were identified as receivers of all cars stolen by
the gang from Lagos. As fate would have it, the Toyota Camry car, marked ER 468
KRD, earlier stolen at Ikorodu, was seen and identified by the complainant. The
car has been handed over to the complainant.”
Items recovered from
the suspects are 118 rounds of AK47 ammunition, one English pistol, military
camouflage, one hand grenade, one Nissan Versa car marked KRD 538 AZ, one Toyota
Rav4 car marked EKY 720 BS, Toyota Camry car, marked EC 192 KRD, Honda CRV SUV,
with registration number EKY 17 AR.
The police also
recovered various number plates such as MUS 312 BK, AL 511 KJA, LND 67 BB, CT
754 FST, EQ 963 EKY, AG 87 YEE, MNY 310 XA and KRD 770 BT.
Imohimi said that
the suspects had confessed that they were based in Kaduna State, but only
come into Lagos State to snatch cars.
Abudlwaheed said:
“I’m a car dealer in Kaduna State. It was Shittu, who brought the two cars to
my shop to sell for him. When he brought the vehicles, I asked him where he got
them, he lied to me. He said that he bought them in Lagos. It was because he
showed me original documents of the cars that I didn’t suspect him. It was when
we were arrested by the police that I got to know I had been dealing with an
armed robber. I got to know him through an electrician. That was why I allowed
him to display his car in my shop."
Abdulrahman said:
“It was Lookman, who is at large, that sold his Camry car to me for N500,000. I
was arrested after police tracked my phone. It was another Camry car, which I
bought from the same Lookman that got me into problem. I was later
arrested at my house in Kaduna State.”
Another suspect,
Abdulwahab, confessed to have introduced Lookman to his brother, Nurudeen.
Nurudeen would later buy a Camry car from Lookman.
Abdulwahab noted: “I
was the one who linked the buyer to the seller. I was in my house one day when
policemen came to arrest me. They said that I was part of a syndicate that used
to buy and sell stolen vehicles.”
Shittu, who was
displaying his vehicles at Abdulwaheed’s shop, also claimed to have bought them
from Lookman.
Shittu said:
"I’m not the owner of the recovered number plates. Lookman told me
the number plates were given to him by his uncle, whom he claimed bought the
cars from Cotonou. It was after I was arrested that I knew that the vehicles
were stolen ones. And as for the pistol and camouflage, they were for a soldier
that was living with me.”
------------------------------
Police anxious as
suspect escapes in handcuffs
Taiwo Jimoh
Detectives attached
to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos State Command, have
arrested three suspected armed robbers cum cultists at the Ajah area of the
state.
The suspects, Mejulu
Raymond (44), Yakubu Taiwo (29) and Azeez Ayemojuba (19), were arrested at
Flour Garden Ghetto, on Epe Expressway.
But the suspected
leader of the gang allegedly escaped in handcuffs.
According to the
police, the area allegedly serves as their hideout and venue of meeting before
embarking on any operation.
The Lagos State
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Edgal Imohimi, said that the suspects were arrested
on information.
The commissioner
disclosed that immediately he received the information; he drafted some men,
led by the officer in charge of SARS, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP),
Mr. Ahmed Muhammed, to go after the suspects.
He added: “During a
search conducted on the hideout, some of the following items were recovered; one
Berretta pistol, one locally-made revolver pistol, one double-barrelled cut-to-size
pistol, and three live cartridges. Others items recovered are two 9mm live
ammunition, one expended ammunition, one axe, three bottles of Emzolyn with
codeine, four bundles of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and charms.
“The suspects
confessed to being members of Aiye confraternity group and armed robbers that
had been terrorising residents of Ajah and its environs. We’re also after one
of their leaders, Bashorun Abass, who took to his heels on sighting SARS
operatives.”
Raymond, whom the
police alleged is the gang’s second in command, denied being an armed robber or
a cultist.
He said: “We were
sleeping when the policemen came to raid us. I’m not an armed robber as alleged
by the police. I run a cafeteria in the ghetto. The police also alleged that
somebody was using those of us sleeping in the ghetto as land grabbers. I
didn’t do all they accused me of doing. When they took me to Ajuwe Police
Station, it was at the station I got to know that guns, axes and the ammunition
actually belonged to a particular suspect. The suspect escaped after he was
arrested. He escaped with his hands on handcuffs.
“I have not handled
a gun in my life. I know some of the boys in the ghetto because they used to
come to my cafeteria to eat.”
Taiwo, who admitted
selling Indian hemp in the ghetto, also denied being in possession of guns.
He said: “When
policemen from Ajuwe Police Station came to raid us in the ghetto, Abass
escaped with his hands in handcuffs. An axe was recovered from him before he
escaped. I know the policemen. They usually come to collect money from us. I
went to where they were standing and asked them who they were looking for. That
was how I was also arrested. I promised the police to assist them catch
Abass, who escaped with their handcuffs."
Taiwo added: “It was
when we were searching for the suspect in the ghetto that we stumbled upon
the guns and ammunition in a makeshift house where Abass, who escaped with
handcuffs and his gang members used to sleep. The policemen also discovered
drugs and charm in the makeshift house. I’m not a member of Abass’ gang. What I
sell was just only the Indian hemp called Arizona. I regret living in the
ghetto. I was only working and looking for what to eat."
Ayemojuba on his
part denied participating in armed robbery. He, however, confessed to buying
and selling Indian hemp as a means of livelihood.
---------------------------
Robbers, kidnappers
have taken over our community –Abia residents
Emmanuel Ifeanyi
Aba
Residents of
Umudukwu community in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State have sent a
save our soul (SOS) message to the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Anthony
Ogbizi, over what they described as incessant armed robbery attacks and
kidnapping in the area.
According to the
residents, no day passes without attacks in the area. They said that armed
robbers used to dispossess them of their cash and property in broad daylight
without being challenged by security agents.
One of them said:
“The ugly situation is worsened by the deplorable state of our roads in the
area. We’re appealing to the Abia State government to rehabilitate the Umudukwu
Road as well as beef up security to protect lives and property. Even if
security agents are coming to arrest them, there are no roads to access the
area. This has given the hoodlums the courage to operate without fear. The
commissioner and the state government should come to our aid. We’re no longer
safe.”
A landlord in the
area, Mr. Kingsley Kalu, said that residents in the community could no longer
sleep with their eyes closed because of these robbery attacks.
He said: “Nobody is
safe in Umudukwu anymore. Robbers now operate in broad daylight, raiding shop
owners and passers-by. They rob and leave without fear of being arrested by the
police. Sometimes, people are kidnapped; yes, it’s as bad as that. Many people
are relocating from this area to safer places. We’re calling on the Abia State
Commissioner of Police to beef up security and protect our lives and property.”
A cross section of the
residents said the deplorable state of roads in the area had made it difficult
for security agencies to access the community to check the activities of
hoodlums who had found a safe haven in the area.
Attempts to draw the
attention of the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Geoffrey
Ogbonna, to the plight of the residents or have him comment on it did not yield
fruit as he failed to respond to calls and text message sent to his mobile phone
as at the time of filing this report.
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