How trainee cleric forged ITF, CAN logo to scam people

For whatever reason, 22 years old Alamba Denis gained admission to further his study at the Jos ECWA Theological Seminary, JETS.

JETS is a training ground for people who ought to have sound moral values so they can positively impact the society and curb the high moral decadence pervading it.

Rather than imbibe the Christian virtue at the seminary, Denis chose to defraud citizens using forged logos of respected institutions like the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN and Industrial Training Fund, ITF.

But his sin was found out as he was arrested on Friday in Jos, Plateau State by the Nigeria Police, Anglo-Jos Division.

He allegedly forged the ITF’s skills acquisition form, selling them to unsuspecting public at the cost of N700, claiming the Fund is partnering with CAN for youths and women empowerment.

Confessing his crime shortly after his arrest, he said he started the dubious business in December, 2021 to raise funds for his academic pursuit and he had realized about N85,000 before he was arrested.

It was gathered that he had engaged the service of two innocent women to photocopy the forged forms and sell them to women and youths in the State and his targets were Christian youths and women.

He said, “I am a student of Jos ECWA Theological Seminary (JETS), I forged ITF form for a skills acquisition programme and I am selling it to members of the public. I forged the form in December, 2021 because I was sent away from school for lack of payment of tuition fee and I had nobody to assist me that I was selling them to pay my school fee.

“I printed the original copy and I gave it to two women who are photocopying and selling it to people. The women have realized N85,000 from selling the forms and they have handed over the money to me.”

The suspect who hails from Gashish District, Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of the State added he had no intention of engaging anyone who bought the form because, “It is a lie, there is no skills acquisition programme anywhere, I just wanted to get money out of desperate Nigerians for my school.

“I chose ITF because they normally help people and I brought the name of CAN into the deal because if people see CAN, they will be interested to buy the forms.”

While acknowledging the consequences of his action, he pleaded, “I understand the consequences of the crime I have committed and I am pleading with the Industrial Training Fund and the Nigerian Police that I have been handed over to show mercy and I promise to pay all the money I have collected from the public.”

However, the ITF’s Director of Administration and Human Resources, Ishola Tajudeen advised Nigerians to be conscious of the activities of fraudsters who are bent on defrauding innocent people, stressing, “I wish to inform Nigerians that our forms for skills acquisition are not sold, it is free of charge. If we are to recruit, we will advertise in two National Newspapers based on the instruction of the Federal Government so that everybody will know.”

He stated that the suspect was found out because a distress call was put across to him that their form for skills acquisition programme was on sale so, “when we got the report, we set a machinery in motion to find out if the information was true or not. In the process, I saw a copy of the form being sold to a Nigerian at a fee.”

The Director clarified that ITF has no collaboration with CAN and urged citizens to always crosscheck with relevant authorities before falling victims to fraudsters. (Sunday Vanguard: Text excluding headline)