People mocked me for returning N2.8m

Mohammed Ogbanago, a security guard with the United Bank for Africa,  who returned $10,000 (about N2.8m) has said he was ridiculed for the action.He explained that he returned the money to show that all Nigerians were not corrupt and to set a good example for Nigerian youths,  Kogi State indigene earns N30,000 (about $100) per month, he found the $10,000 close to the main gate of the Oba Akran branch of the UBA, where he worked as a security guard.

The money was said to have fallen from an $84,500 withdrawn by a bank customer. The security guard was said to have taken the money to the bank’s operation manager, who then handed it over to the customer when he revisited the bank.

 Tony Elumelu, The bank’s Chief Executive Officer and management board  hosted him  at the bank’s corporate headquarters on the Lagos Island.  He was reportedly applauded by the bank’s leadership for the action, which it said was exemplary.

 The bank repeatedly has promised to give him a letter of commendation. The CEO at the meeting with Ogbanago, said “When I heard about this story, I knew I had to meet the man, who despite facing rising petrol and transportation prices and ‘tomato Ebola,’ returned such a huge sum of money.”

The guard, who graduated from the Kogi State College of Education in 2012, said good upbringing helped him to resist any temptation to abscond with the money and he added that the story of an airport cleaner (Josephine Agwu), who returned the N12m she found at her work place, also inspired him.

He said he had boasted to his friends that he would do better if he had the chance.He said, “And my chance came on that day. I was coming from inside the bank when I saw the money on the ground and I decided that the best thing was for me to take it to the operation manager. The owner of the money later came to ask for it. “After I did that, some people started ridiculing me that I shouldn’t have returned the money and that I should have considered my meagre salary before letting go of such a huge sum of money. But I felt I did the right thing. If I had, for instance, taken the money away and fled to my village, it would not be a case of misplaced money again, but stealing, and I could even be declared wanted.”  Although my salary may not be enough for my upkeep, especially with the current economic situation in the country, it is no excuse to take what is not mine. He said “I have been campaigning that to make Nigeria great, we all must prove to be good Nigerians in our small corners. Not all Nigerians are corrupt.

“I am happy I had the chance to prove myself and I want other Nigerian youths to learn from it. I want our youths to know that a good name is better than riches,”

 

People mocked me for returning N2.8m

 

Mohammed Ogbanago, a security guard with the United Bank for Africa,  who returned $10,000 (about N2.8m) has said he was ridiculed for the action.He explained that he returned the money to show that all Nigerians were not corrupt and to set a good example for Nigerian youths,  Kogi State indigene earns N30,000 (about $100) per month, he found the $10,000 close to the main gate of the Oba Akran branch of the UBA, where he worked as a security guard.

The money was said to have fallen from an $84,500 withdrawn by a bank customer. The security guard was said to have taken the money to the bank’s operation manager, who then handed it over to the customer when he revisited the bank.

 Tony Elumelu, The bank’s Chief Executive Officer and management board  hosted him  at the bank’s corporate headquarters on the Lagos Island.  He was reportedly applauded by the bank’s leadership for the action, which it said was exemplary.

 The bank repeatedly has promised to give him a letter of commendation. The CEO at the meeting with Ogbanago, said “When I heard about this story, I knew I had to meet the man, who despite facing rising petrol and transportation prices and ‘tomato Ebola,’ returned such a huge sum of money.”

The guard, who graduated from the Kogi State College of Education in 2012, said good upbringing helped him to resist any temptation to abscond with the money and he added that the story of an airport cleaner (Josephine Agwu), who returned the N12m she found at her work place, also inspired him.

He said he had boasted to his friends that he would do better if he had the chance.He said, “And my chance came on that day. I was coming from inside the bank when I saw the money on the ground and I decided that the best thing was for me to take it to the operation manager. The owner of the money later came to ask for it. “After I did that, some people started ridiculing me that I shouldn’t have returned the money and that I should have considered my meagre salary before letting go of such a huge sum of money. But I felt I did the right thing. If I had, for instance, taken the money away and fled to my village, it would not be a case of misplaced money again, but stealing, and I could even be declared wanted.”  Although my salary may not be enough for my upkeep, especially with the current economic situation in the country, it is no excuse to take what is not mine. He said “I have been campaigning that to make Nigeria great, we all must prove to be good Nigerians in our small corners. Not all Nigerians are corrupt.

“I am happy I had the chance to prove myself and I want other Nigerian youths to learn from it. I want our youths to know that a good name is better than riches,”

NDLEA arrests South Africa-based Pastor   with drugs worth N1.4bn

 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency says it has arrested a 52-year-old evangelist, John Arinze, over his attempt to export N1.4bn worth of narcotics to South Africa.It said the drugs, made of 92kgs of methamphetamine and 73kgs of ephedrine, were detected inside two containers of foodstuff meant for export to South Africa at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos.

A statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Mitchell Ofoyeju, on Friday said the suspect, who is a Nigerian based in South Africa, was under interrogation following an intense undercover operation by the agency and that he had confessed to the crime. He added that sniffer dogs belonging to the agency detected the drugs during screening operation. The statement partly read, “During examination of the containers marked MSKU 388274-1 and MSKU 424717-0; anti-narcotic officials detected 20kg of Methamphetamine and 50kg of Ephedrine inside the first container. Also, 72Kg of Methamphetamine and 23Kg of Ephedrine were detected in the second container. The total weight of the drugs is 165kg. “Officers successfully traced the illicit consignment to a fifty-two year old man who claimed to be an evangelist by name John Vincent Arinze who was arrested in his hotel room in Lagos. A Mercedes Benz sport utility vehicle belonging to him was also impounded at the time of arrest. The suspect hails from Ara village, Nise in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State. John who had lived in South Africa for over a decade accepted ownership of the illicit shipment.”

 

 

The statement noted further that the drugs were hidden inside packs of melon, concealed in foodstuff and cosmetics such as gaari (cassava flakes), noodles, food seasoning, yam powder, some  alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, pepper, milk, herbal hair cream and cereals. Other items in the container were said to include hair cream, bags of melon, kegs of palm oil, beans, biscuits and sardine. The suspect was said to have told the operatives in his statement that he made a “big mistake” by taking over the business of his late wife, who was into drug trafficking.“I am an evangelist living in Durban South Africa. My late wife was into drug trafficking before she died few years ago. I made a mistake venturing into her business. It is my fault,” he was quoted as saying.

According to the statement, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Col. Muhammad Abdallah (retd.) said the seizure would have a positive influence on the campaign against narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in the country. Abdallah was quoted as saying “This is a product of careful planning and meticulous tracking of narcotic drugs movement. The consignments were closely monitored by our undercover agents and intercepted at Apapa Seaport, Lagos following the detection of narcotics by NDLEA sniffer dogs during screening