BO-0M: How Soldier Ran Away With Lagos PoS Operator's N100,000

The soldier who came to 31 year old Ayoele's shop driving in a black Hilux van on October 26, 2021, requested his account number to transfer N100,000 so that the operator can give him cash at hand.

Willaims was said to have shown Ayodele a debit alert of the said amount in his phone. However, the operator did not receive a credit alert from his financial institution.

Ayodele told PUNCH that the soldier became furious and suggested dropping his phone number so that he could contact him if the transaction was not successful.

After exchanging contacts, the PoS operator said he gave the soldier the N100,000.

"I gave him the money because I could not believe a high-ranking soldier, who drove a very good car, would defraud me.

"When I did not receive the alert, I called his phone number, but he did not pick it. He later called back and I told him I had yet to receive the alert. He said was it because of N100,000 that I was disturbing him and did I know the kind of person he was. He then said he would come the following day,

"When his number was no longer going through, I asked a friend to call the number and it also didn't go through. But the name that came out on Truecaller was Williams Unit Commander. It also brought out pictures of two people in army uniforms.

"When I checked the soldier's contact on WhatsApp, I saw a picture of him wearing uniform and it was the same man that came to my shop to withdraw N100,000 and generated an alert that did not reflect in my account.

"When he said he was coming from Ikorodu, I thought he was from the army barracks in Ikorodu. I proceeded there, went to the intelligence department and met a soldier, identified as Ajino. I explained all that happened and also showed him the soldier's picture and he said no soldier with such a rank was in the barracks.

"He advised me to go to the Ikeja Military Cantonment and also gave me a number to call. When I got there, I called a soldier, Barrister Obi, who works in the intelligence department. I was explaining to the soldier when he interjected and asked if it was a soldier who drove a black Hilux and I said yes. He said they had been looking for him because he had defrauded several people" Ayodele narrated.

Efforts to get the soldier for a reaction proved abortive as he had yet to respond to calls and a text message sent to his mobile phone as of the time this report was filed.

The spokesperson for the 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Olaniyi Osoba, said Ayodele should make an official report to the military police for a proper investigation.

He said, "The PoS operator should go and make an official complaint to the military police at the Ikeja Cantonment so the matter could be investigated."