Fake female Customs officer docked, granted bail, case adjourned until August 11
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
A certain woman, Rakiyat Musa, has been arraigned at the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court on Lagos Island for allegedly impersonating a Nigerian Customs Service (NIS) officer to obtain more than N34,116,000 under the pretext of selling rice and groundnut oil to prospective buyers.
Musa, 59, is charged with four counts involving conspiracy, obtaining by false pretense, stealing, impersonation, and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.
Police prosecutor Cyriacus Osuji, an Inspector, alleged before Magistrate B. I. Amos that the accused, alongside others still at large, conspired to defraud victims between April and July 2025.
“The defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of N13,480,000 from one Mr. Damilare Sodiq, the President of Power House Cooperative, Kosofe, Lagos, under the guise of supplying bags of rice and groundnut oil,” Osuji alleged.
He said Musa also allegedly obtained N5,350,000 from Chukwudi Joshua, N2,600,000 from Mathew Nworie, and N2,686,000 from Okereke Johnson using the same false representation.
“She posed as a Nigerian Customs Officer and presented an identity card to her victims to convince them of her status. She knew all along that her claims were false.”
Osuji equally alleged that Musa stole an additional N10 million from the complainants.
The offences contravene Sections 411, 314, 287, and 380(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, according to him.
Musa pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to her.
The Magistrate granted her bail in the sum of N2.5 million with two sureties in like sum.
“The sureties must be resident in Lagos State, gainfully employed, and must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government. Their addresses must also be verified,” Amos ruled.
She also ordered Musa to deposit N500,000 as part of the bail conditions and adjourned the case until August 11 for mention.
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