How fake bureau de change operator scammed victim of N1.7m in Lagos

A bureau de change operator, Usman Nafada, was Monday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court sitting in Lagos State for allegedly conniving with an accomplice now at large to swindle one Abdullahi Uba of N1.7m.

A police prosecutor, Francisca Job, told the court that the victim had approached Nafada on November 16, at the Obalende area of the state to help him change the sum to dollars.

Nafada, facing a three count charge bordering on stealing was said to have told Uba that he did not have hard currency for the exchange but collected the money from Uba and took it to his fake partner.

A few minutes, Nafada returned with 45 notes of $100, which he gave Uba and shortly after, Uba discovered that the dollars were fake and he reported the alleged fraud at the Lion Building Police Division.

Nafada was, thereafter, arrested.

Job told the court that the offence was punishable under sections 409, 312 (1) and 278 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The charge reads in part, “That you, Usman Nafada, and one other at large, on November 16, 2016, at about 11.30am, at Obalende, Lagos Island, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did obtain N1,792,000 from one Abdullahi Uba as equivalent naira to 45 fake notes of $100.

“That you, and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did steal the sum of N1,792,000 property of one Abdullahi Uba, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 278 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”

Nafada pleaded not guilty.

The presiding magistrate, Miss. A.O. Awogboro, granted him bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Awogboro adjourned the case till December 13, for trial.