Nigeria: Constable Returns N2.6m Mistakenly Transferred to Him

A police constable serving with the Borno State Police Command, Mohammed Alhaji Muhammad, has returned N2.6 million that was mistakenly credited to his bank account, saying his action was aimed at challenging negative public perceptions of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The spokesperson of the command, Nahum Daso, confirmed the development on Monday while briefing journalists in Maiduguri.

The incident drew public attention after a Facebook user, Bello Jafar, commended the constable for what he described as an uncommon display of honesty and integrity.

In his post, Jafar praised Muhammad, a customer of United Bank for Africa (UBA), for promptly taking steps to return the money, which was wrongly transferred by a Moniepoint customer.

Confirming the account, Daso said the Borno State Commissioner of Police, Naziru Abdulmajeed, invited the constable for a meeting after learning of the incident.

He explained that Muhammad, who serves in the insurance office of the command, received the credit alert last Thursday and immediately knew the funds were not meant for him.

"The following day, Friday, he sought permission and went straight to his bank to report that a certain amount of money had been credited to his account unexpectedly. He requested the bank to take the necessary steps," Daso said.

He said the bank traced the source of the transfer to a UBA branch in Sokoto State and contacted the branch manager. Muhammad was later issued a consent form, which he signed to authorise the reversal of the N2.6 million to the rightful owner.

Daso further disclosed that during his meeting with the commissioner on Monday, the constable explained in detail the steps he took to ensure the funds were returned.

On the motivation behind the officer's action, the police spokesperson said Muhammad told the commissioner that he was conscious of the negative perceptions many Nigerians hold about the police and felt duty-bound to act differently, adding that discipline and integrity are core values instilled during police training.

Read the original article on Daily Trust.