MAIDUGURI — In a notable act of honesty, a police constable in Borno State has returned N2.6 million mistakenly credited to his personal bank account, stating he was motivated by a desire to reshape the negative public image often associated with the Nigeria Police Force.
Constable Mohammed Alhaji Muhammad, serving with the Borno State Police Command, received the unexpected credit alert last Thursday. Recognizing the funds were not his, he took immediate steps to ensure their return, an action publicly confirmed by command spokesperson SP Nahum Daso on Monday.
A Prompt Report and Swift Reversal
According to the account provided by SP Daso, Constable Muhammad, who works in the command’s insurance office, sought permission to visit his bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), the very next day after receiving the alert.
“He requested the bank to take the necessary steps,” Daso told journalists in Maiduguri. The bank’s investigation traced the erroneous transfer to a Moniepoint customer via a UBA branch in Sokoto State. Muhammad later signed a formal consent form authorizing the full reversal of the N2.6 million to its rightful owner, completing the process with transparency.
The incident first garnered public attention through social media, where a Facebook user, Bello Jafar, praised the constable for what he termed an “uncommon display of honesty and integrity.”
Acting to Alter Perceptions
The constable’s integrity did not go unnoticed by his superiors. Borno State Commissioner of Police, Naziru Abdulmajeed, invited Muhammad for a formal meeting on Monday.
During their discussion, Muhammad detailed his actions. More significantly, he explained his underlying motivation. SP Daso relayed that the officer was acutely aware of the widespread negative perceptions held by many Nigerians toward the police and “felt duty-bound to act differently.”
The constable further emphasized that the core values of discipline and integrity, instilled during standard police training, guided his decision.
The command’s public acknowledgment of this event serves to highlight positive conduct within its ranks, presenting Constable Muhammad’s choice as a benchmark. In a profession where public trust is paramount, his voluntary return of a significant windfall offers a counter-narrative to prevailing criticisms, demonstrating that professional ethics can prevail.
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