Before I start, let me dive a bit backwards to 2019.

Sometime around mid October, 2019..on one beautiful Wednesday evening, my phone rang. A quick check showed the caller wasn't saved on my device..so who could it be??

I picked up and a young man spoke over the phone, "Engineer, good evening Sir..how are you doing", I responded and after the pleasantries, I asked who he was and he passed off as one of my Facebook friends.
Okay, what can I do for you??.. and there goes the story of a big building project for his community, wherein they need a competent Engineer to handle.

We talked at length and manage arrangements for the the familiarisation trip (oh, naive me).

The trip was scheduled for the Friday of the same week.
The very first few red flags obvious from our conversation was clouded by my desire to land a "big project" as at that time. For one, the young man was a bit shady in revealing the exact place we were to go, he said Owerri West, buy Ngor-Okpala was a different LGA on its own.

Long story short, I prepared for the trip, getting constant directions from the guy who was equally supposed to receive me..and halfway through the journey, he called to say he had an office emergency and his brother will take me instead. Aargh, what will I do?? Na money I dey pursue ��‍♂️.

I got to Ngor-Okpala junction shortly before Airport road, told the bike man where I was going to, and he confirmed the direction via phone from the guy who was supposed to pick me (the bike men seems to be in on all these) and we proceeded to the village. I can't even remember the name �.

At the village, I was take to what looks like an "Obi" outside an old village building.
Here I was to meet the community Chief who is in charge of the project, the village youth leader and of course, the guy who brought me there.

Now it gets interesting.

I asked a series of questions regarding the project, it's financier, the project documents, the estimated duration etc.
Initially, it was difficult to make these guys show me the drawings, as I was already a bit suspicious but did my utmost best to mask it.

Now, come and see building document..it looked so much like those University handouts you'd have to use pen to reproduce some of their wording in order to study, yea..it was that bad. Looked like what has been photocopied over 50times. The state of the document confirmed my initial suspicion and from then onwards, I had to be the "yes man" who would do everything required just to convince them I was already hooked.

Okay, una go give me the document make I run estimates nau, come know how the project go cost. The old man, probably in his 70s quickly chipped in that the previous man that came bidded ₦200m, but that he would prefer to have me run the project because the guy who brought me (he claims the guy is his nephew), has told him that I'm a very good friend of his (Ndi Ara).

Finally, they said I had to settle them before I could be allowed to leave with the document.
Settle��.

I said okay, what would that involve??(I was thinking they will just ask me for ₦2k ��). But I got the shock of my life.

Goat, crates of beer, malt for women, kola nut, alligator pepper, and some other few things + ₦150k cash.
At this point I was laughing in my mind, but was nodding and even went as far as asking theme to repeat so I could write the items down.

Already, I know say I don enter..Na to come out be the issue..what do I do??
I made a play for man's greatest undoing.. VANITY and self aggrandisment.
I promised the old man I would renovate his Obi once he project was underway (this move was particularly important because it helped drive home the feeling that I was already in their hook).

Again, I said..since I am coming from Aba, it could be uncomfortable having to carry all the items from Aba down to the village, so I asked "Is there anywhere I can get these things around, so I would just worry about transporting it within the village"? Or better still, can one of you help me get these, I'd rather we put some figures on each and I make a transfer a day before I return (I was billed to return the following week, a Wednesday.. because I told them I had a job to round up and get paid between Saturday and Tuesday).

To the second question, the youth leader accepted he could be reached to get the items..we brought our meeting of over 2hrs to a close and I was eager to leave..the boy who brought me in asked for some money to eat, me..I needed to give off the vibe of a generous "mugu", as I wouldn't know or want to find out what might be my date of the suspect otherwise. You never can tell if those who didn't play ball came back with their heads on their shoulder.

It's been like 3years since this incident and I keep thanking God for the grace to think swiftly and escape from this net. I even got the old man's phone contact, all part of the scheme to fool the scammers.

And today, one clown contacted me again via Facebook, same stuff, same format and I begin to ask..does it mean the people of Ngor-Okpala are not aware of these happening in their domain or are they all into it too??

I have heard stories from others, even on twitter, same Ngor-Okpala, same hospital project, same format..not one, not two, not three and it would likely not end here if nothing is done to rid these communities of people dragging their names in mud.

Who knows, those who didn't play their games well might either end up being kidnapped instead, or murdered and body parts sold off. This thing cannot continue to be happening.

We as a people need to do better!!!

Cc: lalasticlala Dominique

No b only 4 ur side bro

Polynek:
No b only 4 ur side bro

Story plenty oo.
I've heard from others who experienced the same.

Josnac:


Story plenty oo.
I've heard from others who experienced the same.

Scamming is becoming a norm in our society
Funny enough people glorify dox scammers

Polynek:
Scamming is becoming a norm in our society
Funny enough people glorify dox scammers

Yea..until it hits home���

Igbo people