A 28-year-old man, Ademola Abiodun, and a woman, Ajarat Sulaiman, have been arrested after they were found in possession of fake Naira notes in Ifo area of Ogun State. The suspects, who escaped being lynched by a mob, were nabbed by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state.
Saturday Telegraph learnt that the suspects met their waterloo when Abiodun, a resident of Ajiboye street in Ile-Epo area of Lagos State, bought some food from a vendor at Vespa Bus-Stop in Ifo with a N500 note.
The food vendor, who strongly suspected that the note was fake, rejected the money and demanded original one. Eye witnesses account said the food vendor and his customer subsequently engaged in hot argument, which eventually attracted other people around.
The people attempted to descend on Abiodun,who pleaded with them that he was in Ifo on appointment with a female friend (Miss Ajarat), whom he was allowed to call on phone. When the woman, 30, arrived the scene, the mob pounced on her too and attempted to set ablaze the suspects with tyre. It was learnt that the intervention of NSCDC officials, who were on surveillance patrol in the area, prevented the suspects from being burnt alive.
The civil defence operatives were said to have pleaded with the crowd and promised to treat the matter in accordance with the law. The state Public Relations Officer of NSCDC, Kareem Olanrewaju, who confirmed the incident yesterday, said exhibits recovered from the suspects included two phones and 14 pieces of fake N500 notes, among others. Olanrewaju said after preliminary investigation, the case was transferred to Ifo Division of the Nigeria Police Force for detailed investigation and prosecution.
