A 58-year old man identified as Mallam Aminu Ado, has been arrested by men of the Nigeria Police for impersonating the widow of the late Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, in a bid to swindle unsuspecting Nigerians.
Spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, DCP Frank Mba, who paraded him before newsmen on Monday, June 22, said after the death of the former chief of staff, Ado who is also known as Al Amin Yerima, went on to impersonate the widow and reached out to prominent Nigerians asking for donations to enable him organize special prayers for the soul of the departed.
“In the course of doing that some of the prominent Nigerians became suspicious and reached out to us. He has been cooperative with the investigation and held back no facts. He is 58 years old. He had also had a stint with EFCC in 2019. He was charged to an Abuja High Court and was convicted and imprisoned for three months as a result of the plea bargain he successfully initiated by his lawyers,” Mba said.
According to Mba, Ado had an app on his phone that changed his voice to a woman’s voice, which he used to perpetuate the criminal act.
When he was arrested, Ado claimed he was a family friend and was trying to organize a prayer for the soul of the departed. He however could not explain why he had to pretend to be a woman to solicit for assistance. He admitted he did it without the consent of the family.
Among those he contacted so he could swindle were the Plateau state governor, Simon Lalong; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.
He told the police that he knew these people very well as he was a politician and they have been talking.
“I am a politician and I have the ambition of being governor of Kano State 2023 insha allah,” he confidently said.
