Dismissed soldier nabbed for defrauding job seekers in Bauchi

The Bauchi State Police Command says it arrested a dismissed officer of the Nigerian army, Aliyu Adamu, for defrauding three persons to the tune of N250,000

Bauchi Police Public Relations Officer Ahmed Wakili, in a statement on Tuesday, disclosed that the suspect received the sum of money from his victims with a promise to help them secure employment in the army.

He added that after the victims realised that there was no job for them, they reported to the police which prompted the arrest of the suspect.

Wakili stated, “L/Cpl Aliyu Adamu from Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State has been arrested on charges of impersonation, cheating, criminal misappropriation, and criminal breach of trust.

“This arrest follows complaints from three individuals who reported that Adamu collected a total sum of N250,000 from them, promising to secure jobs for them in the Nigerian Army. However, they were not invited to the Nigerian Army depot for training as promised.”

The PPRO stressed that the suspect, upon interrogation, confessed to have been dismissed from the service of the Nigerian army some months ago for misconduct and also admitted to have collected money from the victims.

He added that the suspect would be arraigned in court upon conclusion of an ongoing investigation while urging the public to be mindful of fraudulent persons.

“The suspect admitted to having been dismissed as a Lance Corporal from the Nigerian Army a few months ago for being absent without official leave for a year. Furthermore, he confessed to using the money collected from the victims for personal purposes.

The Bauchi State Police Command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, Auwal Musa Mohammed, urges the public to remain vigilant against individuals who exploit others by offering fraudulent job opportunities. The suspect will be charged in court upon the completion of the investigation.

“We encourage the public to report any suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities to prevent falling victim to similar fraudulent schemes in the future,” Wakili stated.

Earlier in May 2024, men of the Rivers State Police Command arrested 13 persons, including three soldiers for alleged armed robbery, hijacking of food trucks and diverting them to other locations.

The police also arrested an operative of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

They were arraigned in June.