The operatives of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) have issued a stern warning to Nigerian women, stating that collecting transport fare from a man without showing up is a punishable offence.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Grace Iringe-Koko, delivered the warning in a viral video released on Wednesday.
She explained that such conduct falls under obtaining money under false pretence and is liable to arrest and prosecution if reported.
“Taking transport fare from a man without actually going to meet him is an offence. It is regarded as obtaining money under false pretence, and the law considers it a crime,” she said.
She further advised Nigerians to avoid financial dealings rooted in deception, warning that the law would not overlook such actions.
In recent weeks, Nigerian courts have been clamping down on what is now referred to as “transport fare fraud.”
A magistrate court fined a young woman, Jennifer, a staggering N450,000—or a seven-year jail term—for collecting N50,000 transport fare from a man named Emmanuel and failing to show up.
The court described her actions as fraudulent and exploitative, noting a rising trend of such cases. Jennifer eventually paid the fine.
Earlier in January, another woman, Rhoda Adu, faced a similar ruling in Ilesa, Osun State. After taking N3,000 from her boyfriend, Olapitan, and disappearing, she was ordered to refund the money and pay an additional N150,000 in damages for breach of trust and emotional distress.
Magistrates in both cases emphasized that these rulings are meant to serve as a deterrent: deceiving people for transport fare is not only immoral but also criminal.
Meanwhile, the viral video from the Rivers PPRO has sparked intense debate on social media, with some Nigerians viewing it as a moral failing rather than a crime, while others agree it constitutes outright fraud.
