The Nigerian Army on Thursday arrested a 35-year-old man, Clifford Maisamari, for allegedly impersonating a military officer and defrauding two women in Gombe and Bauchi states of more than N700,000.
Maisamari, who hails from Zonkwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was arrested by soldiers of the 301 Artillery Regiment, Gombe, following a report of impersonation.
The suspect allegedly obtained more than N500,000 from a 34-year-old businesswoman in Gombe and about N210,000 from another woman in Bauchi under circumstances involving romantic relationships and claims of financial difficulties.
Speaking during an interview, Maisamari admitted that he had presented himself as a military personnel but denied deliberately using romantic relationships to defraud the women.
“I told the lady I am a military personnel. When we started dating, she noticed that I made calls mostly concerning finances and that the account I used for transfers did not bear my name,” he said.
He explained that the woman initially gave him N50,000, which he described as a gift, before giving him N100,000 and another N250,000 on subsequent occasions.
According to him, the woman provided the money after he told her he needed financial assistance, including money for an unspecified purpose in Abuja.
He, however, acknowledged that the total amount he received from her exceeded N500,000.
The suspect also admitted that he was not a serving military officer, explaining that he had used the identity to conceal aspects of his personal circumstances.
“I know it is a big thing to say you are an army officer when you are not an officer. I agree to that, and I apologise,” he said.
Maisamari claimed that he had never forged military identification cards or uniforms to support his claims, adding that he usually found ways to avoid questions when the women asked him to identify himself.
He said he was a patent medicine dealer in Kaduna State and had moved to the North-East in search of better business opportunities.
The suspect further claimed that he intended to repay the money he collected, insisting that he had not entered the relationships with the intention of running away with the women’s money.
“I was not dating her with the intention of leaving or running away. I had plans of paying the money back,” he said.
However, the Gombe-based businesswoman, who requested anonymity, said she became suspicious after seeing a Facebook post warning women about a man alleged to be a fraudster and fake military personnel.
She said she confronted Maisamari with the post, but he allegedly dismissed it as an attempt by a former girlfriend to frame him.
The woman said their relationship had lasted about a month and that she initially trusted him because of his confidence and the explanations he gave about himself.
“He came clean and was straightforward about what he wanted. The way he presented himself and how confident he was made me feel comfortable around him,” she said.
She confirmed that the first N50,000 she gave him was intended as a gift, explaining that she considered the amount affordable enough to give without expecting repayment.
However, she said subsequent financial requests resulted in losses exceeding N500,000.
The businesswoman disclosed that she contacted military personnel she knew after seeing the social media post and asked them to verify a promotion letter Maisamari had shown her.
According to her, the military contacts told her that the number on the document did not correspond with their records.
She said she subsequently decided to conceal her suspicions and maintain a cordial relationship with the suspect to prevent him from escaping before he could be apprehended.
“I needed to act normal if I wanted to get him. If he suspected anything, he would run away, and I had no information about him to know where to start looking for him,” she said.
The woman explained that she invited Maisamari to her office on the morning of his arrest under the pretext of allowing him to collect her car, which he had been using.
She said soldiers arrested him when he arrived at the office.
Asked whether she was interested in recovering her money, the businesswoman said she would welcome a refund but was more concerned about preventing other women from becoming victims.
“The money is not actually my main concern, but if I am able to get it, I will. What I am more concerned about is that he has been captured and will not do the same thing to other people,” she said.
She advised young women to exercise caution in online relationships, warning that confidence and convincing personal stories should not be taken as proof of someone’s identity or intentions.
“You can trust, but there should be a limit to it. These people come fully informed, as if they already know what they are doing. Please, let’s be careful out there,” she added.
Maisamari also spoke about a separate relationship with a woman in Bauchi, from whom he said he received about N210,000.
He claimed that the money was given to him during discussions about their relationship and possible marriage arrangements.
According to him, disagreements later developed between them, after which the woman demanded repayment.
He said he asked for more time to repay the money but eventually blocked her after their exchanges became contentious.
The suspect denied that he routinely used romantic relationships to obtain money, insisting that he had genuine intentions towards the women involved.
Speaking on the arrest, an Army official at the 301 Artillery Regiment, old barracks Gombe, said troops apprehended Maisamari following a report of impersonation.
The official said preliminary investigations had been conducted, adding that further questioning would be carried out to establish whether the suspect had accomplices and determine the extent of his alleged activities.
“We are still going to question him more to know if he has a syndicate and the extent he has gone in his duplicitous act,” the official said.
He explained that the Army intervened because the suspect allegedly impersonated a military officer, noting that cases of impersonation involving the military required attention to protect the institution’s reputation.
“Otherwise, if it was just a case of duping, we would take him straight to the police. But since he impersonated a military personnel, that is why it concerns us,” he said.
The official added that the Army would hand the suspect over to the civil police after completing its preliminary investigation.
He said Maisamari had admitted during questioning that he received approximately N200,000 from one woman and about N500,000 from another.