18th December, 2012
Probably to reap their own dividends of democracy, fraudsters have devised several ways of swindling members of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
P.M.NEWS checks revealed that not less than seven of the lawmakers have either fallen for these conmen or were tempted to acquiesce to their requests.
It was further learnt that these fraudsters, popularly called 419, make use of situations that would attract their targets and appeal to their emotions.
For example, some approach their targets with claims of having chronic ailments and thus need urgent financial assistance.
One of the lawmakers, Ramotalahi Akinola-Hassan, representing Amuwo-Odofin Constituency 2 in the House, explained that she recently got a text message from someone appealing for assistance.
“This person told me he was suffering from a kidney-related ailment through a text message. The man added that he was my constituent and that he played a major role mobilising people during my campaign because of the love he had for me.
“I was already moved to donating reasonably to him, especially after imagining his condition, though I did not know him. But I decided to inform some of my colleagues. That was when I knew that he was a conman,” she said. According to him, one of the lawmakers, Bisi Yusuf, immediately told her that the same person had sent that same text message to him and made him cough out a huge amount of money out of pity.
“Bisi Yusuf said the same person had also told him he worked for his emergence and that this was the time to assist him to survive,” Mrs. Akinola-Hassan said.
She further quoted Yusuf as saying the same person had conned some other lawmakers, including Mrs. Omotayo Oduntan and even local government chairmen.
“So, when I got home that night, I called the man’s phone and rained curses on him for playing on our emotions. I also made him realise that he would make it difficult for us to know the right people who need our assistance in such regard henceforth,” she said.
Another lawmaker, Moshood Oshun, representing Mainland Constituency 2 in the House, also told P.M.NEWS that he had a similar experience. “These people take advantage of the fact that people run to us even over the smallest financial needs and we oblige.
“Some people can come to us to tell us that they need money to perform the naming ceremony of their children or that their children are in school and they need money for such children’s school fees. Though this is not part of out tasks, we still assist, but some of these conmen are making things difficult,” he said.
Oshun disclosed that a young man, using the name Shanusi Shamsideen, had continued to disturb him with text messages, claiming to have a serious kidney-related ailment.
“He said he was a student of a tertiary institution and I asked him to come down to Lagos so he could be taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) but he sent a text that he did not even have the transport fare.
“It got to a stage that I began to sense he was a conman because if he was really ill, he would rush down, especially since someone has volunteered to offset his bill for treatment.”
Relating his own experience, another lawmaker, who pleaded for anonymity, said a young man approached him and explained how he lost his mother after spending all that they had to keep her alive.
“He had printed the invitation card to the burial ceremony with the woman’s photograph boldly printed on it, but said he still needed money to fix some things. He was crying to the extent that I was so touched and I gave him N150,000 cash. He thanked me and left,” he narrated.
A few months later, the lawmaker said, he coincidentally met the young man and his mother somewhere. “Instead of taking action, I felt pity for him and told his mother she does not have a good child,” he said.
Despite these experiences, the lawmakers explained that they would continue to assist genuine members of their constituencies requiring help.
“I spend a lot of money everyday taking care of issues relating to people, some of whom are not even from my constituency,” Oshun said, adding that “giving is a part of life.”
—Eromosele Ebhomele