Nigerian Police Command at the federal capital, Abuja, have
arrested a 37-year-old woman for allegedly impersonating the wife of the
President, Aisha Buhari, to solicit for contracts and financial
assistance.
Parading the suspect yesterday, the commissioner of police for FCT,
Sadiq Bello said the suspect, Aisha Muhammed Bello, was arrested on
January 10 at Fadama III Project office, Maitama, Abuja, following a
report that she contacted the coordinator of the project that she wanted
assistance in her capacity as the First Lady.
“Upon her arrest, a phone and a newly acquired Airtel SIM card
registered in the name of Aisha Buhari, First Lady of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria was recovered from the suspect,” he said.
Bello said the woman, a mother of four from Plateau State, while
pretending to be the wife of the president would contact unsuspecting
members of the public, especially heads of government establishments,
for contracts and financial assistance.
He said “investigation is on-going with a view to contacting
other people she must have duped in the name of the First Lady. At the
end of the investigation, she will be charged to court.
“Members of the public are hereby advised to always be double
sure of who they are dealing with before they part with their property
or money.”
The suspect, while fielding questions from journalists, said she
got the idea to go into the act after coming across a message on a
WhatsApp group she belonged that advised members to take risks.
“I just saw in a WhatsApp group that we should take a risk and that we will succeed.
“I didn’t claim that I am the wife of the president. I only
sent a text message that the wife of the president asked me to come and
collect contract. I was arrested because I told someone that the wife of
the president said he should give me a contract.
“I went into this because I lost my money and I have nothing left on me to do business with,” she said.
She said she registered the SIM cards at Durumi area in Abuja and
asked that the name, “Aisha Buhari” be used for the registration, “just
to send text message to the man so that he will give me contract.”