2 men nabbed for impersonation, extorting money from orphanages

The Chairman of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) sub-committee on distribution of relief items to orphanages, Yakubu Salihu, has disclosed that two suspects have been arrested for allegedly impersonating members of the committee.

Speaking with newsmen in Abeokuta yesterday, Salihu expressed regret that some persons had been extorting money from orphanages in the name of the committee members.

The two men, according to him, have been detained at the Seme border.

The senior Customs official disclosed that relief items were distributed to 134 orphanages with a cumulative number of 7,350 orphans in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states.

However, as the sub-committee found out, some “unpatriotic elements” had been cashing on the exercise by visiting orphanages, pretending to be working for the NCS and collecting documents supposedly on behalf of the committee.

“The obvious criminal intention to extort money or some of the items ostensibly for facilitating the allocation is not lost on us. Already two people impersonating the committee have been arrested and detained at the Seme border.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Service has not permitted any person or organisation to contact orphanages, IDPs or, indeed, any vulnerable group on belief of the committee. We have our own way of identifying and verifying such homes or groups that qualify for the ongoing distribution,” Salihu said.