Hardship pushed me into spending fake currencies, says Benue woman

A 30-year-old woman,  Rebecca Ako, living in Owena, Osun State, paraded by the state Amotekun corps after being arrested for spending fake currencies, has said extant hardship pushed her into the crime.

Ako, an indigene of Benue State, was among the suspects paraded for various offences across the state by the Amotekun corps on Tuesday.

A statement signed by the spokesperson for the Osun State Amotekun Corps, Yusuf Idowu, in Osogbo on Tuesday, said the corps commander, Dr Adekunle Omoyele, explained that the 30-year-old Ako was arrested inside Sabo Market, Ilesa.

Omoyele added that Ako admitted committing the crime, giving the excuse of the financial crisis she was going through as the reason for her action.

Responding to questions from According to Metro, Ako, who admitted committing the crime, added that she was introduced to the crime by one Mrs. Elizabeth, a co-tenant, after her husband had dumped her.

“I am from Benue State but I live in Owena. I used the fake money to buy goods. There is a woman, Mrs Elizabeth, who I used to live with when my husband left me. The woman later left for Abuja and called me one day to introduce me to the fake money, telling me I could spend it.

“She usually sent the fake naira to me through dispatch. When she gave me N100,000 fake money, I would give her N50,000 original money that I would have made using the fake money. That is how I used to do before I was caught,” Ako said.

Also paraded was a 19-year-old girl, Adegboye Glory, arrested in Iwo for burglary and theft of food items.

One Najeemden Adeyemi, aged 50 years, arrested for attempted kidnapping and stealing from female victims by luring them to secluded places using a fake Facebook account, was also paraded.

The Osun Amotekun boss, who said the corps would make the state too hot for criminals, called for the cooperation of the residents to nip criminal acts in the bud.