In what appears as a confidence trick, a young man in his mid thirties has played a fast one on colleagues who came together to do monthly contributions, with a view to helping them save for the rainy day and take care of financial needs.
According to close sources who were privy to the innuendoes surrounding the matter, it was a case of unanticipated disappointment on the part of a man known as Gift Ikuru, who barely joined a therapy centre located around Eliozu/ Rumuokoro axis and within months had expressed the desire to be part of staff monthly contributions.
In her reaction, a member of staff of the therapy center, who was simply identified as Tina, had expressed dismay over the way and manner Gift Ikuru, now at large came in newly and got introduced into the cooperative.
Another source, who craved anonymity ,noted that Gift chose to be number two on the list of those who should collect the revolving contributions which started in June got the money transferred into his account and disappeared without prior notice to any member of the group, an action which others found curious. And since then Gift was said to have kept his identity and other activities away from the trail of others.
However, when it was the turn of others to reap what they have contributed gift was said to be falling short based on non contribution to complete the payment the action, as we learned irked those who followed in line and they expressed the fact that they were now short changed. This alone, according to our investigations led to pressure being mounted on a man known as Ifeanyi, whom some of the group members alleged had introduced the fleeing member and colleague to the organization.
On his own part, Ifeanyi who is said to be a supervisor at the Therapy Center owned up to the fact that he introduced Gift and convinced his colleagues not to allow the matter get to the notice of the authorities at the center even as he assured that he will not only ensure Gift is found out, but see to it that everyone in the group got their complete money from the contributions.
But since October ,up to the present moment, the man at large had failed to show up nor pay back what he received from the group contributions, not until few of those concerned were able to mount more pressure on the supervisor who now led his colleagues to the church where Gift worships.
Our checks revealed that the group succeeded in locating the church and had indeed barged into the worship session to create a scene which compelled a woman said to be the head of the church to wade in.
One of the affected persons explained that after the meeting with the woman (pastor) it was agreed that Gift would pay whatever he may be owing by 23 December 2020. Again, Gift shocked everyone watching, including the church authorities by refusing to pay as promised. So, when the group decided to take the fight back to the church, the Pastor of the church couldn’t do much and was said to have denied standing surety for Gift.
Moreover, while the group had explored different means, including calling in the human rights body, according to our investigation Gift had at different turn gave false promises. But the last straw, according to available information was that while many were anticipating the payment promised, a confirmed information filtered in that Gift got wedded in the last Saturday in December, to the surprise of former colleagues who never knew Gift was planing to get married with their money.
As to the next line of action, the group informed that it would inform authorities, including the police and the director at the organization to compel Gift to pay back N70,000.00 he allegedly made away with.
