23-year-old fake graduate infiltrates NYSC camp, steals phones

By OLAIDE AYINDE

The Police Command in Bauchi has confirmed the arrest of a 23 year-old man who allegedly infiltrated the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Bauchi.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Ahmed Wakili, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Friday.

Wakili said the culprit allegedly infiltrated the camp in Wailo, Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state with a fake call-up letter.

According to him, the command received a complaint letter of stealing in the camp from the NYSC Bauchi State Secretariat, signed by the state Coordinator, Alhaji Namadi Abubakar on behalf of the Director General, NYSC, Maj.-Gen. Shuaib Ibrahim.

He added that the letter was specific about one Muhammed Bello Hassan with NYSC number; NYSC/USS/2022/27708 and state code of BA/22A/1580.

“The aforementioned name maneuvered his way into the orientation camp with a fake call-up letter.

“At the end, he ran out of luck and he was caught with two cell phones and some valuable items alleged to be stolen from corps members in the camp.

“Investigation was expanded to our office where the corps member is presently in the state Criminal Investigation Department, (CID).

“The Commissioner of Police detailed the state CID to investigate and unravel the circumstances on how he came to the orientation camp,” he said.

Wakili explained that during the course of investigation, it was discovered that the man was a dropout of a reputable university in Nigeria, where he was studying Biology in the Faculty of Science.

According to the PPRO, he decided to come to the orientation camp after his mother asked him why he had not graduated, not to talk of going for his NYSC while some of his mates had already done that.

“He came to Bauchi and entered the orientation camp in the night.

“His purpose of coming to the camp was as a result of advice by one of his friends who told him to go to NYSC camp, wear the uniform and snap some pictures to send to his parents as evidence of service.

“Unfortunately for him, luck ran out of him when they were about to close the orientation course.

“He had no money and had stolen two phones and used the phone to clear his debt of N17,000 with an Indomie seller at Mami market who gave him balance of N10,000 after collecting the two phones,” said the PPRO.

Wakili, however, said the phones were seen with the Indomie seller who later disclosed that they were given to him by the corps member who was now in police custody.

Also speaking with NAN, the Public Relations Officer, NYSC, Bauchi state, Mr Aliyu Suleiman, said that the man came in with a posting letter but was not registered and he kept hiding himself.

He revealed that the corps member stole somebody’s uniform, money and some other items.

“There had been cases of stealing as of late until he was caught. Even my external hard disc that was worth N36,000 was stolen but we have not found it yet.

“But the boy is now with the police for further investigations,” he said. (NAN)