A Point of Sale (POS) operator, identified as Alfa Rafiu, has been arrested in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, for allegedly squandering the sum of N280 million mistakenly sent to his bank account.
According to Tribune, the suspect, a resident of the Akuji compound, Abayawo area in the Ilorin West local government area of the state, received the money in batches of several millions of Naira some weeks ago.
It was said that residents of the area, especially those close to the suspects, had expressed surprise at how Rafiu had suddenly become a big spender.
Sources in the area blamed the suspect for the trouble he had put himself into, saying, “Instead of him to have drawn the attention of the bank that mistakenly transferred the huge fund to his account, he went on a speeding spree.
“Rafiu bought houses and cars and sponsored people to the lesser Hajj. Although he was generous to several people in the community, some residents were surprised about his sudden wealth as a POS operator”.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Kwara state command, Ajayi Okasanmi (SP), confirmed the incident and said that “his arrest was effected by the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) from Alagbon-Close, Ikoyi, Lagos which makes it out of our jurisdiction.”
In a related development, the Lagos State Government has dragged one Uzuokwu Solomon, 18 years of age to court over offences relating to making false calls for emergency responder.
The offence is punishable under the Lagos State Fire service law and Command and control Centre law 2013.
Director, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, who disclosed this said the suspect had been arrested and scheduled to be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction at Ogba Magistrate on Wednesday at about 9.00 am.
Adeseye explained that “the suspect called the emergency line of the Fire Service on Friday, April 14, 2023 at 17:35 hours from Harmony Estate, Langbasa, Ajah, Lagos and reported a fire emergency within the estate leading to the activation of emergency processes and eventual dispatch of the fire trucks from Lekki Phase II Fire service station.
“On arrival it was discovered that there was no fire incident in the estate and because of the frequency of such calls in the past, the estate security helped in the investigation which led to the arrest of the notorious false caller.”
Adeseye, expressed her delight in the arrest of the suspect while reiterating the stand of the state government on malicious false calls which is punishable under the Lagos State laws.
“The arrest and consequent arraignment will serve as deterrent for other misguided citizens who are in the habit of making false calls and misleading emergency responders,.
“It is instructive to inform the general public that false calls have astronomically increased in the last six months,”Adeseye stated.
