15-Year-Old Boy Exchanged For 2 Bags Of Rice In Lagos

A yet to be identified man on Monday successfully
traded a 15-year old boy, Seun Aderinwale, for two
bags of rice valued at N20,000 at Igando in
Alimosho area of Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.
According to eyewitness account, the man, whose
address is unknown, went to 4, Ifesowapo Street,
Igando, on Monday morning to buy two bags of rice
from a shop owned by a woman identified as Iya
Ibrahim.
The rice seller was not available at the time but her
son, Ibrahim, agreed to the man's proposal to drop
Seun, an Aluminium apprentice, as collateral, in
order to collect the two bags of rice and return
later to pay.
However, when the shop owner returned in the
afternoon, she was surprised to see Seun who was
dropped there in exchange for the two bags of rice
taken away by the unidentified man.
When the man failed to return, the 15-year old was
held hostage until evening when the pastor of his
church, a Celestial Church of Christ around the
area, saw him at the shop looking despondent.
When Seun was questioned on how he came about
the fraudster, he said he met him casually at Hotel
Bus Stop about 300 metres to his residence where
a church member had sent him on an errand to
play lotto, popularly known as "Baba Ijebu".
Seun said he did not know the man's house or
have other information about him. The teenager
later regained his freedom when the Celestial
Church pastor, known simply as Oluso in the
neighborhood, settled the matter with Iya Ibrahim,
the rice seller.
He said the woman should take responsibility for
one of the stolen bags of rice while Seun's father, a
co-worker with him in the church, should pay for
the other bag of rice when he returned from his trip
to Ifo in Ogun State. Seun's father agreed to pay
N10,000 for the bag of rice when he returned from
Ifo.
P.M.NEWS learnt that the rice seller agreed to the
pastor's proposal and did not report the matter to
the police.
"If I report the incident to the police, I cannot leave
the station without spending money. Therefore, it
is better for me to accept the proposal by Oluso,
the rice seller told residents who gathered in front
of her shop to watch the drama.
When Ibrahim was questioned why he allowed
such an unusual arrangement, he told residents
that the conman asked for two and half bags of
rice, adding, "when the motorcycle was about to go
with the two bags, I asked for the money but Seun
assured me he was coming back for the half bag.
He even claimed to be a close relation of the man."
However, some hours after the man had
disappeared and failed to return, Ibrahim said Seun
retracted his earlier statement, saying he did not
know the man.