Domestic Staff Steals $51,000 From Her Boss

Three days after beginning work in the state’s Lekki neighbourhood, Blessing Effiong, a domestic staff, was accused of stealing $51,000 from her employer. This led to her detention by Lagos police.

The Zonal Police Public Relation Officer (ZPRO), SP Ayuba Umma, confirmed the arrest to reporters. She stated that the suspect started working as a domestic staff member on December 23, 2023, after an agent simply named Anthony recommended her for employment.

Umma claimed that after stealing money from her employer three days into her job, she and her husband left for Cross River State. However, on January 31, detectives from the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department (ZCID) Zone 2 Command Headquarters, Onikan Lagos, arrested Umma following receipt of a petition from the employer, whose identity is being withheld by the police.

The police claim that after a thorough search, the husband and wife were found at their Cross River State hideout on January 31. Umma stated that throughout the course of the investigation, it came to light that Blessing had falsely approached Anthony with the intention of hiring her as a domestic worker. She had also used registered phone numbers unrelated to her name and had given false contact details.

“During the investigation, it was revealed that Blessing had approached Anthony under false pretences, providing misleading contact information and using registered phone numbers not associated with her identity. She failed to complete her employment application form.

“Despite initially denying the full extent of stealing, Blessing eventually confessed to stealing $30,000 (N44,808,600), admitting to giving $20,000 (N29,872,400) to her husband, Bassey.

“Bassey, in turn, confessed to receiving the stolen funds, part of which he used for settling his late mother’s medical bills, purchasing a tipper truck, two motorcycles, and completing a construction project in Cross River,” SP Ayuba said.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli