A Point of Sale (POS) operator simply identified as Alfa Rafiu has been arrested in Kwara State for allegedly squandering 280 million naira mistakenly sent to his account. The suspect, who resides in Akuji compound, Abayawo area in Ilorin West Local Government Area of the state, had reportedly gone on a spending spree after receiving the alerts in batches of several millions some weeks ago.
According to sources in the area who are familiar with the issue, Rafiu had received several bank alerts totaling N280 million, which he knew nothing about. Instead of notifying the bank about the mistaken transfer, Rafiu went on a lavish spending spree. He bought houses, cars, and sponsored people to the lesser Hajj, with some of the sponsored individuals currently in Saudi Arabia.
Residents in the community noted that although Rafiu had been generous to several people in the past, they were surprised by his sudden wealth as a POS operator. The suspect has been arrested by police officers from the “C” Division Police station, Oja-Oba, Ilorin, accompanied by bank officials. The POS shop has been closed, and some of the residents in the compound claimed that Rafiu had traveled and they did not know when he would be back.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Kwara State Command, Ajayi Okasanmi (SP), stated, “Yes, the matter is true, but his arrest was effected by the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) from Alagbon-Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, which makes it completely out of our purview.”
The alleged misappropriation of the mistakenly transferred funds has raised concerns about the need for individuals to report such incidents to the appropriate authorities and not take advantage of the situation for personal gain. The investigation into the case is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge as the story unfolds.
