Conman On The Loose

Although the Acting Commissioner of Police of Kaduna Command told this magazine that Abdulkadir’s 419 activities were reported and are currently under investigation, the public, especially victims of his of 419 exploits, express doubt that the police would do anything to stop him. One of them, a businessman also duped, alleged the police have been bought over. “Each time people report his disreputable activities to the police, no serious action is taken to stop him,” he asserted. It was apparent from the expression on the faces of those interviewed on the matter that the manner in which the police handle the cases involving Abdulkadri has become a source of worry. But the police deny they have been compromised. The 57-year-old multi-millionaire who hails from Bauchi State, enjoyed a level of police protection  at his residence on Rabah Road, until 13 May, according to his neighbours. A frustrated victim told The NEWS that people with legitimate financial claims against him were prevented by police guards from having access to him at his home and office. After several frustrated attempts, some of them decided to bypass the Kaduna State Police Command and reported the case of his impersonation as a retired DIG and use of policemen to harass creditors, to higher quarters. The directive was thereafter made to withdraw his police guards.

When TheNEWS visited Abdulkadir’s Rabah Road office on Monday 16 June, it was discovered that the policemen have been withdrawn. It was also gathered that he was ordered to desist from using the nickname DIG, and also compelled to publish a public notice renouncing the nickname. But even with all these steps by the police to redeem its image as a perceived collaborator, there are insinuations that Abdulkadir still enjoys covert police protection. This, many insist, accounts for why, despite the various crimes he has committed, especially his activities as a conman, he still moves around freely in the state.

When contacted to react to the allegation of impersonation and 419 activities of Abdulkadir in the state, the acting Commissioner of Police, Adams Audu admitted that they have received reports and petitions on his alleged impersonation and 419 activities in the state. He however regretted that the case was beyond the state headquarters now. However, some documents made available to this magazine prove that Abdulkadir signed some of them claiming he was a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police even when he had never passed through a police training facility. Among the allegations leveled against him were that he, Abdulkadir, operates current account number 110030032946 with UBA plc, Ali Akilu Road, Kaduna, under the name Annako Nigeria Limited. On 12 March 2008, Abdulkadir issued his UBA plc cheque number 21776312 in favour of Ecobank plc for the sum of thirty million naira. The said cheque was presented for clearing subsequently on 13, 17 and 20 March, 2008 and on all the days, the cheque bounced.

Using the same UBA account, Abdulkadir issued a UBA plc cheque number 21776311 on 7 March 2007 as part payment for a property transaction in the sum of N10million, in favour of Alhaji Mahadi Shehu. He kept on shifting the date for presenting the cheque for payment. Eventually, when he consented to the cheque being presented on 5 May, 2008, it bounced. Similarly, he issued dud cheques in favour of Afribank plc for N70million, and another N200million to First Inland Bank. There are several other cases of issuance of dud cheques involving Abdulkadir. Findings revealed that the 419 kingpin has ruined the careers of a good number of bank managers.

Another case of 419 against him involves the judiciary. The Kaduna High Court had in a judgment ordered the auctioning of Sterling Civil Engineering Limited quarters at Kilometre 6, Mando Road, Kaduna, to enable it settle its creditors, Fidelity Bank plc. The property was publicly auctioned and Abdulkadir emerged the highest bidder, with a bid of N200million in an auction supervised by a court registrar. But he issued a dud cheque. Recently he was ordered to vacate the property and his cheque returned to him. In one of the several petitions written to the police, Abdulkadir was alleged to have fraudulently sold his houses at 16 Ramat Close, Ungwar Rimi, Kaduna, to two parties; Dr. Mohammed Bello of Rakiya Hospital, Kaduna, and Alhaji Aliyu Shanono, a foreign exchange dealer at Hamdala Hotel Bureau de Change. Dr. Bello, in an interview with this magazine maintained that on 5 May, 2007 he paid the sum of N2.5 million naira vide First Bank of Nigeria draft number 00381599, but 11 months into the transaction Abdulkadir was yet to hand over the property or refund his money. But Alhaji Shanono was lucky to pay up fully and moved into the property immediately, so he escaped suffering the same fate as Dr. Bello. The Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro, has heard about Abdulkadir’s escapades. Three weeks ago, a police team arrived Kaduna to commence investigation into the various allegations against him. But there are doubts that the police will do a thorough job that will lead to his arrest. Meanwhile, his various victims in Kaduna people are waiting.