Olatunji Dare tells about meeting a serial cheater

A communication professor, Prof. Olatunji Dare, reported yesterday about his encounter with a self-employed electrical engineer of Kabba origin based in Abuja, Durojaiye Olukato, who allegedly cheated the journalism teacher with N 3.2 million.

Dare, a famous columnist for The Nation and professor emeritus at Bradley University, alleged that Olukato made verbal threats when he revealed his plan to report him to law enforcement.

He reported his ordeal in a two-page statement, which he personally signed yesterday, in which he called on the Nigerian police to provide all protection under Federation law.

The communications scientist explained that he had hired Olukato to “advise me on buying a diesel engine for my residence in Kabba. I did this because of his excellent professional work in wiring the house in the final stages of construction about ten years ago.

“I was hoping he would help me find the best generator for the amount I wanted to spend. Olukato later informed me that he had spotted a disused 24 KVA Caterpillar generator that would serve my purpose very well.

“It had only been used briefly; it was as good as new, soundproofed and had a one-year guarantee and an additional one-year personal guarantee as a token of his goodwill and confidence in the generator.

“He said he pleaded with the executives at Julius Berger, where he was buying from, to buy it for someone who is like a father to him, and that they then agreed to give it to me for sale. ”discounted for N3.1 million.

“The transport to Kabba would cost N 60,000. To take care of contingencies, I wrote him a check for N 3.2 million, ”said Dare in his statement, which he personally signed yesterday.
On August 17, Dare announced that a truck with a load of tomatoes and peppers had dropped the generator on its property in the middle of the night.

He said the vehicle was escorted by one of Olukato’s assistants who brought my check to him in Abuja and said he noticed that the paint on the generator had not dried completely. It had no ignition and no kick starter.

He said he also noticed that the fuel tank “has no cover. Far from being soundproof, it was louder than my 6 KVA gasoline engine generator when we finally got it running. One problem emerged one after another, requiring purchase after purchase and fixing after fixing.

“The set came without an invoice, without proof of purchase, without guarantee, without documentation of any description and without a manual. Fuel had to be sucked into the tank from a canister.

“At this point, Olukato still has to deliver these materials. He didn’t even think it appropriate to see the generator and address its shortcomings. I have reason to believe that he recovered a generator from Berger’s junkyard in Abuja, retouched it here and there and sent it to me as an original item.

“After a lot of pressure and charges for breach of trust, I was offered a text message to pick up the scrap machine and refund my money. And now the grave of my second complaint.

“When Olukato didn’t show up, I texted him that I would have to report the matter to law enforcement unless he agreed to a set deadline for my money back within 72 hours.

“His verbal answer on August 26th was that he would advise me not to follow this path as no one could say where it could lead. He said he knew the kind of people he worked with and what they could do. “

Given the current wave of bandits and kidnappings in the country, the communications scientist said he found Olukato’s reaction to be an unsubtle threat to his person and well-being.

Up until that point, Dare said that Olukato “had never told me there were any third parties in the transaction. The check I wrote was in his name. He was the one who redeemed it. And now he’s warning me about what third parties could do if I report this to the police.

“I am writing to alert law enforcement agencies to this threat and to ask for any legal protection.

“I also want Olukato to be warned that he will be held personally responsible for any damage that may happen to me,” the professor wrote, calling on the Nigerian police to arrest Olukato.