By Yusuf Mohammed
The case of Bukar Jamma Shuaibu, 32 year old deaf indigene of Potiskum, Yobe State is much like the proverbial adage which says: “ninety nine days for the thief, one day for the owner”.
This medieval postulation perfectly describes the recent dramatic event in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital where nemesis caught up with the deaf beggar who is alleged to specialize in all kinds of nefarious activities from stealing, duping of perceived soft targets, both Deaf and hearing, street-begging, etc, to all sorts of monetary fraud to make easy cash without breaking a sweat.
Bukar is alleged to have perpetrated his sordid acts for years – successfully defrauding innocent Deaf and hearing individuals who fell for his tricks.
Things however fell apart for the professional fraudster on Tuesday, 1st February when he thronged the Borno State capital to continue his evil trade.
Unknown to Bukar, that fateful day was for the owner. Luck ran out for the fraudster when he boastfully engaged an unlettered victim of his pranks in a violent argument.
According to eyewitness, Bello Musa, who was first to expose the news of Bukar’s arrest to the North East Association of the Deaf( NEAD) online forum, Bukar was arrested on Tuesday following a heated quarrel between him and an unidentified Deaf man who was said to have confronted him as he demanded for a refund of the sum of twenty-one thousand naira borrowed out to Bukar along with a phone.
During the heated argument which ensued for hours, a nearby immigration officer tried to intervene and broker peace between the quarrelling parties.
His efforts proved fruitless.
The victim, fearing that Bukar, if allowed to go without paying his money will abscond to another State persuaded the officer to invite the police who arrested Bukar, remanding him in Dandal Police Station, Maiduguri, where he was interrogated and spent three days.
A top official of the Borno State Association of the Deaf who pleaded anonymity disclosed to Inclusive News Network (INN) that the culprit opened up to the police during interrogation. Bukar had on several occasions deceitfully changed his name to Bukar Ali Modu, Bukar Adamu Shuaibu and Bukar Yamodu, purposely to conceal his identity and confuse his prey.
Asked to tell about his highest educational qualification the fraudster claimed to have obtained an NCE in Special Education from the prestigious Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo State. Bukar also confessed to deceitfully defrauding a total of 15 innocent persons across the Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Kano, Jigawa and Abuja.
In all, he is alleged to have carted away no less than N621,300.00 (six hundred and twenty one thousand three hundred naira) from the 15 persons.
One of the victims, a Deaf lady from Abuja identified as Sidikat Musa accused Bukar of breach of trust and money laundering.
In a letter of complaint she submitted to Garki Police Station, Abuja, asking the Police to investigate the money laundering crime committed by Bukar who offered to help her register for inksnation (an alleged Ponzi scheme), she disclosed how the accused used the false claim to withdraw the sum of 251,000.00 from her bank account and disappeared.
The statement from Sidikat’s letter read in part: “I, Sidikat Musa wish to lodge a complaint against one Bukar Jamma Shuaibu. He, (Bukar) met me on 9th October at about 6pm to register for an investment platform called inksNation.
When I asked for the registration process, he requested for my SIM which I gave it to him, the next day he asked me to borrow him the sum of two thousand and I told him I don’t have cash on hand. After much pleading, I handed him my debit card and asked him to return it after withdrawal. He never did until after two weeks”.
“When he finally returned my card, I quickly inserted the SIM into my phone and saw multiple debit alert of N251,000.00 ( Two Hundred and fifty one thousand naira). I was shocked and immediately asked him to explain what happened to my money, he pleaded and agreed he withdrew the said amount and promised to return it next week which he has failed to do until now” the statement concluded.
INN further gathered that the culprit had also duped another Deaf guy identified as Auwalu Tijjani. Tijjani who is originally from Adamawa State but resident in Abuja spoke in a telephone chat with our reporter.
He says, “Yes, I know him but not for long. He didn’t steal or borrow anything from me but he absconded with a balance of ₦14,000 after I sold my phone to him”
The atrocities committed by Mr Bukar triggered a barrage of angry reactions from many Deaf persons in the North Eastern part of the country. While some reactions were sympathetic, others seemed corrective and punitive.
The Chairman of Yobe State Association of the Deaf (YSAD) Comr. Abubakar Mohammed could not hide his disappointment over Bukar’s rascality and called for his immediate imprisonment and rehabilitation.
Abubakar said: “allowing Shuaibu Bukar go free is very dangerous as he is likely to go ahead with his criminal act”.
The right thing to do is to imprison him with hard labor for some months or years. This will serve as a lesson to quit his unscrupulous practices. Left unpunished, who knows, with time he might turn into kidnapper or something worse.
“We used to have someone in same situation as Shuaibu Bukar , we jailed him for about 5 weeks or so until his family and relatives bailed him out. He has since repented. The right rehabilitation center for Bukar is prison. His crimes are so many. If care is not taken he might influence innocent Deaf youths wrongly. He has been in this habit of duping Deaf people from one place to the other. A lot of people here are complaining of him owing them money.
“Right now, someone whom Shuaibu owes almost 500k is preparing to travel to Maiduguri tomorrow with a Civil Defense Corp to arrest Bukar”.
National Secretary General of Deaf Teachers Association (DTAN), Tr Nurudeen Mohammed, also spoke to INN. He said “the decision to release the culprit from Police custody as announced by Executives of Borno State Association of the Deaf (BOSAD) on the ground that his uncle from Yobe State had refused to honour Police invitation and the culprit didn’t have money, was faulty.
According to Nurudeen, such action would further encourage him to continue in his sordid acts. An obviously indignant Nurudeen says: “I wish I read you people earlier! This boy (Shuaibu Bukar) is a criminal and the Abuja Police where his case was reported had earlier declared him wanted.
“I wish Auwalu Tijjani, the Mubi, Adamawa State indigene were here to throw more light on the issue since he is directly involved in reporting on how Bukar duped the deaf lady. Neither Auwalu Tijjani nor Sidikat are here to give first hand information. You guys (INN) need to get in touch with Auwalu. You need to revisit the case at the Police Station in Abuja and let them know of the development in Maiduguri. It’s a big mistake to release Bukar and let him go. You are giving him chance to continue with his bad attitude” the DTAN scribe warned.
He also faulted the calls for Mr Auwalu Tijjani and lady Sidikat Musa to come all the way from Abuja to Maiduguri without assurances of getting back their money.
“I think it is wise to ask Auwalu Tijjani and Sidikat to enlist the help of the Abuja Association of the Deaf on the issue. What matters most however is the money lost.
“Will he repay her? If he cannot pay back the money, what is the use spending more money, energy and time to go to Maiduguri?” Nurudeen queried.
Another commentator from Adamawa State, Ahmed Bappatel, admitted he knew Bukar was a criminal minded person having known him for a long time. His words, “the boy is a notorious criminal. I have known him for more than 10 years”.
“The voice of the majority should be allowed to prevail. Bukar should not go free until all complaints against him are settled.
“Meanwhile, his punishment should serve as deterrent to others with similar attitude. We have a responsibility to wipe out criminals in the Deaf community”, he cautioned.
Investigations conducted by INN revealed that the money launderer had successfully defrauded a total of 15 persons across five (5) states.
The damage in Kano State, though involving only one person, (₦60,000.00) is greater than all damages in Borno State put together. At least three persons were defrauded in Adamawa State. In Yobe State, another victim was relieved of N200,000.00. Three victims were robbed in Jigawa State.
In FCT, Abuja, the only female among the victims was robbed of the huge sum of N251,000.00.