In a surprising turn of events, the police in Enugu State, south-east Nigeria, have arrested a 45-year-old man, Joseph Nnamani, for allegedly stealing 18 bags of rice. The suspect reportedly presented himself as a philanthropist intending to distribute the rice for charity at a church on 14 February.
The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday. He stated that the 18 bags of rice were valued at about N400,000.
On 14 February, Valentine’s Day, Mr Nnamani went to an unnamed church in Ogui Area of the state. From there, he phoned the rice seller and requested the 18 bags of rice. The rice seller, unsuspecting of any foul play, supplied the 18 bags of rice and followed Mr Nnamani to a bank to receive his payment through a transfer.
However, in the course of carrying out the payment, the suspect secretly left the bank and returned to the church. He then made away with the bags of rice to an unknown destination.
"The suspect, however, could not run or hide for so long, as the police operatives, upon receiving the report, embarked on an intelligence-driven investigation, which led to his arrest on 20 February 2024, at Emene, Enugu," Mr Ndukwe said.
Eight of the 18 bags of rice were recovered from the suspect after he had re-packaged and sold the other bags at Oye Emene Market in the state. The suspect will be arraigned as soon as investigations are concluded.
Mr Ndukwe also asked other business owners who may have been defrauded by the suspect to report to the police. He advised Nigerian citizens, particularly businessmen and women, to always be security conscious and wary of whom and how they transact in such circumstances to avoid falling prey to fraudulent suspects like Nnamani.