By Ifeanyi Okolie

PENULTIMATE Monday, Zaharadeen Runka, a staff at the Department of Education and Social Services, Safana Local Government Area of Kastina State received a Short Message Service, SMS, from a foreign number on his his Glo mobile phone while preparing to go to work.

A quick glance at the SMS elicited excitement as he was told that he had won a whooping sum of 715,000 Pounds in the United Kingdom Nokia Promo Award with a code number 901NK. A closer glance said he should send details of his driver’s licence or International Passport for confirmation.

Unfolding message

Shocked by the unfolding message, the middle-aged Kastina State indigene proceeded to his office with the intention of making further inquiries over the unexpected booty that was coming his way at a time he desperately needed financial succour.

Shortly after, he received another message and this time, it was a congratulatory message from Nokia mobile sweepstake informing him that a cheque had been issued in his name with instructions to contact the courier service on [email protected]. In addition, he was asked to pay delivery charge of 250 pounds which is about N63,200.

*Nosa Agho…arraigned for conspiracy and impersonation

At this juncture, Mr. Zaharadeen went wild with happiness and broke the news to friends, relations and co-workers. When he got home, it was jubilation galore as members of his family gave glory to God Almighty for having come to their aid at long last.

Then, on May 14, 2012, he received another message, this time from his e-mail with further instruction to pay the money to their agent in Nigeria, a certain Nosa Agho with Ecobank Plc account number 004083999. At this point, he started suspecting foul play.

His optimism started giving way to doubts.  Crime Alert gathered that Mr. Zaharadeen quickly proceeded to the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Kano to lodge the report. After that, operatives of the commission reportedly swung into action and ended up arresting the suspect when he came to claim the money that was paid into his account.

Confirming the arrest of the suspect, EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, told Crime Alert that the suspect is a member of a notorious syndicate that operate in Nigeria and the UK with the aim of defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians. According to him, the commission was raising alarm over this ugly development because it is making the rounds at the moment.

The arrested suspect was arraigned in a Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State recently.  Mr. Uwujaren, further told Crime Alert that the commission commenced investigations on the syndicate when it received a petition from Mr. Zaharadden Runka adding that Nigerians should be wary of the promo sms they receive so as to prevent them from falling victims to fraud.

Conspiracy and impersonation

Meanwhile, Agho was arraigned in court by the EFCC on a six-count charge of conspiracy, forgery, impersonation, money laundering and obtaining money under false pretenses. He pleaded not guilty to the charges while his counsel immediately asked the court to admit him on bail. But prosecution counsel, Festus Ojo, opposed the application and requested the court to remand the accused in prison custody and fix a date for the continuation of trial.

Justice A. A. Okeke in her ruling on his bail application upheld the prosecution’s argument that the accused person could jump bail and ordered that he be remanded in prison custody and adjourned further hearing in the case to October 3, 2012.