A 36-year-old Charles Abam, a fraud
suspect, who is now being held at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, for
attempting to defraud the children of President Muhammadu Buhari, was at
one point in his life, a police sergeant.
suspect, who is now being held at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, for
attempting to defraud the children of President Muhammadu Buhari, was at
one point in his life, a police sergeant.
According to Abam, after being jobless
since 2003 when he lost his job as a policeman, he found out he could
make a lot of money by defrauding influential Nigerians.
since 2003 when he lost his job as a policeman, he found out he could
make a lot of money by defrauding influential Nigerians.
The suspect allegedly got hold of the
phone number of a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress,
whom he contacted by impersonating Mrs. Daisy Danjuma, wife of Gen. T.Y.
Danjuma.
phone number of a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress,
whom he contacted by impersonating Mrs. Daisy Danjuma, wife of Gen. T.Y.
Danjuma.
Through the APC chieftain, he was able
to contact some members of the First Family, setting in motion a con
that was supposed to net him millions of Naira.
to contact some members of the First Family, setting in motion a con
that was supposed to net him millions of Naira.
The indigene of Ndukwa East, Delta
State, told investigators after he was tracked down and apprehended by
the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team, that
he quitted his police post in 2003 after being enticed by a chance to
travel abroad.
State, told investigators after he was tracked down and apprehended by
the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team, that
he quitted his police post in 2003 after being enticed by a chance to
travel abroad.
He said, “When I had an opportunity to
travel out of the country I left my duty post and went on to process my
documents, but I was defrauded and I lost all my money.
travel out of the country I left my duty post and went on to process my
documents, but I was defrauded and I lost all my money.
“I went back to my police job but I was
told that I had been declared a deserter. I begged to be reinstated but
was not taken back. I then began to look for work. I also applied for a
bank security job but did not get it.”
told that I had been declared a deserter. I begged to be reinstated but
was not taken back. I then began to look for work. I also applied for a
bank security job but did not get it.”
A source at the IRT told Saturday PUNCH that in April 2017, Abam sent an SMS to the said APC chieftain, asking for the phone numbers of the President’s children.
The chieftain was said to have replied
the SMS that she did not have the phone numbers of the President’s
children but sent that of the elder brother of First Lady, Aisha,
thinking she was communicating with Daisy Danjuma.
the SMS that she did not have the phone numbers of the President’s
children but sent that of the elder brother of First Lady, Aisha,
thinking she was communicating with Daisy Danjuma.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that Abam again contacted the First Lady’s brother by SMS, asking for the phone numbers of the President’s children.
The police said he eventually got the
phone numbers of the President’s children, whom he sent messages, again
impersonating Danjuma” to asking them to present five names for a
phantom job with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
phone numbers of the President’s children, whom he sent messages, again
impersonating Danjuma” to asking them to present five names for a
phantom job with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
When the Inspector General of Police,
Ibrahim Idris was notified of the suspected fraudulent activities of
Abam, the IRT was tasked with tracking him down.
Ibrahim Idris was notified of the suspected fraudulent activities of
Abam, the IRT was tasked with tracking him down.
Members of the First Family were said to have played along and sent some names and phone numbers to the suspected fraudster.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that eight names, which were provided by the police, were eventually sent to Abam and his accomplice, Felix Machi.
“The suspect then pretended to be
officials of the NDLEA and called the phone number that had been sent to
him. He asked them to pay a certain amount of money to a bank account,
which would be payment for their kits during their training exercise.
But no payment was made to the accounts,” our correspondent was told by
the police source.
officials of the NDLEA and called the phone number that had been sent to
him. He asked them to pay a certain amount of money to a bank account,
which would be payment for their kits during their training exercise.
But no payment was made to the accounts,” our correspondent was told by
the police source.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that Abam was tracked down through the details of his bank account which he told his supposed victims to pay into.
The suspect, who also led operatives to arrest his accomplice, Machi, said he regrets his action.
According to him, his fraudulent activities started in 2014 after his unsuccessful attempts to find a job.
He said, “I started with internet fraud
but I was not making enough money. Then, I went into local fraud. One of
my friends, known as Mike, taught me how to impersonate people in order
to get phone numbers of prominent politicians.
but I was not making enough money. Then, I went into local fraud. One of
my friends, known as Mike, taught me how to impersonate people in order
to get phone numbers of prominent politicians.
“Sometimes I also paid to get the phone
numbers. I later met Felix (Machi), who became my partner. Before I
attempted to defraud the president’s children, I had defrauded many
politicians by pretending to be a kidney disease patient.
numbers. I later met Felix (Machi), who became my partner. Before I
attempted to defraud the president’s children, I had defrauded many
politicians by pretending to be a kidney disease patient.
“I told some politicians that I needed
financial help for a kidney transplant and many of them sent money to
me. I got N70,000 from a member of the Anambra State House of
Assembly,EmekaObinna, the Commissioner for Lands in Delta State and he
gave me N50,000.
financial help for a kidney transplant and many of them sent money to
me. I got N70,000 from a member of the Anambra State House of
Assembly,EmekaObinna, the Commissioner for Lands in Delta State and he
gave me N50,000.
“One Senator Ahmed Kamoni, gave me
N150,000 while another member of the Anambra State House of Assembly,
ObinnaUzor, gave me N50,000. I also got N50,000 from Senator Ahmed
Yerima. Even the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria,
Pastor Ayo Oritsejefor, gave me N100,000.
N150,000 while another member of the Anambra State House of Assembly,
ObinnaUzor, gave me N50,000. I also got N50,000 from Senator Ahmed
Yerima. Even the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria,
Pastor Ayo Oritsejefor, gave me N100,000.
“I also got N100,000 from the Speaker of
the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Aniofor Udo andN5,500 from a
former Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Daniel Abia.”
the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Aniofor Udo andN5,500 from a
former Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Daniel Abia.”
Abam said he gave 10 per cent of all the money he made from his kidney transplant fraud to Machi.
According to him, he only decided they
needed to up their game recently when he broached the idea of defrauding
the First Family to Machi.
needed to up their game recently when he broached the idea of defrauding
the First Family to Machi.
He said he got the phone number of the
APC chieftain from the APC Chairman in Delta State, Prophet Enu, by
impersonating the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
APC chieftain from the APC Chairman in Delta State, Prophet Enu, by
impersonating the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
Abam said, “Eventually, when I contacted
the President’s children and they sent me the eight names, I realised
the candidates were not cooperating. I knew something had gone wrong
when I started receiving calls from people threatening to arrest me.
the President’s children and they sent me the eight names, I realised
the candidates were not cooperating. I knew something had gone wrong
when I started receiving calls from people threatening to arrest me.
“I decided to destroy my phones and sim
cards. I thought there was no way I could be tracked without them. But I
was surprised when the police showed up at my house on Saturday and
arrested me.”
cards. I thought there was no way I could be tracked without them. But I
was surprised when the police showed up at my house on Saturday and
arrested me.”
The police authorities at the
headquarters have said Abam and his accomplice would be charged to court
as soon as investigation into the extent of their operation was
complete.
headquarters have said Abam and his accomplice would be charged to court
as soon as investigation into the extent of their operation was
complete.