The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the State Security Service (SSS), has arrested a 42-year-old suspected fraudster, Sambo Takat, for allegedly defrauding the Minister of the FCT, Sen. Bala Mohammed, of N3 million.
Mr Ibrahim Halilu, the Command’s Deputy Director, operation, told newsmen that Takat, who resides in Wuye District, Abuja was arrested on August 8.
He alleged that the suspect defrauded the minister, after he cloned the minister’s cell phone number.
“Takat used the phone number to give instruction to the Chief of Staff to the Minister via text message to deposit N3 million into his Account.
“The amount was withdrawn same day by the suspect,’’ he said.
According to him, Takat used his account in one of the new generation banks to commit the crime.
Halilu said that he would be charged to court when investigation into the matter was concluded.
However, in an interview, the suspect denied the crime and claimed that his friend, Alhaji Ahmadu Nakase, a spiritualist, based in Gombe state, was the one who used the account to defraud the minister.
“One of my friends (Nakase) requested for my account number which I text to him, about one hour or so later, he deposited N3 million in the account and I went to withdraw it.
“We have been together for 20 years and he has been so helpful to me and I did it based on trust,’’ he said.
The suspect said that Nakase gave him N400, 000 out of the money and ran away, claiming that he could no longer locate his whereabouts.
“The SSS invited me and said that the money was criminally obtained and deposited in my account.
“I am innocent, if I knew what had happened I wouldn’t have been here, I would have ran away like Nakase,’’ he said.