It may not sound strange in the present day Nigeria that someone was duped of the sum of N231million but it becomes annoying when the cheated person is now being threatened not to cry out or invite any security agency or anti-graft agencies to come to his aid, else he would be dealt with.

It becomes more worrisome when it was discovered that the man alleged to have cunningly swindled the person is one of the top officers in the Police Community Relations Committee.

The top officer, a business tycoon, had through one of his friends, allegedly gone to Alhaji Yekini Aliyu and Ayobami Aliyu to collect over 3,500 units of motorcycles sometime in May last year with a promise that he would pay two months later. He was said to have issued a cheque of N231m to them after receiving the items which he was said to had sold in Kano and Kaduna.

But, since then, the two motorcycle sellers have been making futile efforts to collect their money. The alleged reluctance of officer to pay the money has taken its toll on the health of Alhaji Yekini.

Instead of their debtor to pay the money, he was said to have been threatening them to stop asking him or else they would be dealt with. And true to his threat, according to Alhaji
Ayobami Aliyu, anytime they ask him, what they get in return is threats.

And to worsen the matter, the officer reportedly surrounds himself with no fewer than 25 members of the outlawed Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, who prevent unwanted visitors from having access to him. Police sources hinted that Oyo State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan and area command, Abeokuta have stepped into the matter.

But, each time attempt was made to arrest him, he escaped. The source said that about nine policemen went to the residence of the suspect at 6am on Saturday and discovered about 31 Toyota Hiace buses allegedly parked in his backyard but could not apprehend him.

It was further gathered that the suspect who also holds another prominent position in PCRC, Lagos State threatened one DSP Bankole who led the team that he would ensure that he was dismissed from the police force for daring to come to his house. The Police reportedly went to his residence after getting a search warrant from a Magistrate Court in Abeokuta but the suspect was said to have evaded arrest on two occasions.

Already, the businessmen have petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, imploring him to investigate alleged fraudulent activities of the officer who was alleged to have been threatening the lives of the petitioners and boasting that he is close to the top echelon of the police, therefore nothing can happen to him.

In the petition, the Aliyus complained that one Alhaji Rafiu Adesina introduced the suspect to them that he needed 3,500 units of motorcycles of different makes to be supplied.

According to the petition, the suspects were supplied 3,000 units of Jincheng A x 100 motorcycles, 300 units of Lincoln CG 125(Alloy) motorcycles and 200 units of Lincoln CG(125) Alloy) motorcycles. “All efforts made by the businessmen to get their money were futile as repeated calls to the suspect were replied with death threats and warning that they should stop calling him on the matter.

After the expiration of the two months agreement made to pay the money, he was alleged to have issued bounced cheques several times. One of the cheques was marked 114371679.

“The suspect, after getting wind of the presence of policemen in his residence, was reportedly threatening the police officer that he would ensure that the police hierarchy dealt with him for having the guts to lead other officers to his house”.

The complainant, Abdulrafiu Ayobami Aliyu alos told Crime Guard, “When the time was ripe for him to pay, we went to the bank, but the cheque he gave to us bounced. We complained to him and he issued other cheques which bounced as well. He made an undertaking to us that he would pay at another time.

He has made about four different agreements now but he failed to stand by them. During the time, he bought so many exotic cars, giving people loans and building many houses. But, he has not given us our money. It is over a year now and he is giving vehicles of different makes to people.

“We have been there in his residence several times with our lawyer, but he refused to come out to see us. He would talk to us on phone and promise to come to Ibadan to give us our money. But, each time he promised, he fails. It now dawned on us that he wanted to dupe us.

He would be threatening us with OPC. That is why we are crying out to Nigerians, Inspector General of Police, SSS, ICPC, EFCC to save us from this man”, he stated.