A businessman, Abdulaziz Lawal, has accused an Oyo-based car dealer, Tijani, aka Asiwaju, of defrauding him of the sum of N1.1m.

Lawal initially paid N10,000 through Tijani’s agent, Abdulahi Abdulsalam, for inspection before paying N1.1m for a car.

Lawal, who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday, said he demanded a refund of his money when he could not get the car but Tijani and Abdulsalam refused to return the money.

He said, “I needed a car for my Uber business, so I got introduced to Tijani of Saki Motors Dealer Association, Oyo State, through his agent, Abdulsalam, on October 8, 2022.

“Tijani promised to get me a Toyota Camry 2000 saying it was good for the purpose I needed it. They initially asked me for N10,000 for mechanic inspection which I paid; they confirmed that the car was in good condition, so I transferred N1m to Abdulsalam.

“After this, they requested an extra N100,000 to fix some things in the car. I initially didn’t want to drag it with them because it was their job and they knew better, I just wanted them to get the car for me. But I later realized that they were only trying to extort money from me.

“We had agreed that the car would be delivered to me through Abdulsalam in Ibadan but after paying them the N100,000, Tijani started demanding another N1.6 to get me another car; this was when I knew they were only trying to extort me. I demanded a refund of my money but the duo refused to pick up my calls after this.

“They both avoided me until I involved my lawyer. In my last conversation with Tijani, he said he had gotten buyers to sell my car to but he also wanted me to make additional payment again.”

Lawal stated that he learnt that Tijani was a serial fraudster and had an affiliation with a popular Nigerian activist.

He lamented that the petitions he wrote to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State, Adebowale Williams, yielded no result.

“I want my money back and Tijani and his agent should be apprehended,” he added.

Tijani, however, stated that the money was not paid to him.

He said, “He’s not the one that bought the car from me. I’m a car dealer but he didn’t pay the money to me. Tell him to call the person he sent the money to.”

However, Abdulsalam said he transferred the money to Asiwaju.

He said, “Lawal and I went to Saki in Oyo State and looked at some cars. While we were talking about getting a better car, a mechanic told us about Asiwaju (Tijani).

“Lawal and the mechanic spoke and he told me to follow him to Igbeti, Ibadan, where Asiwaju’s car dealership was. After seeing the car, he told me he was going back to Ikorodu, Lagos, and he would send the money to me. After some weeks, he sent me N1m and said he would come to my place at Saki to collect the car.

“I sent the money to Asiwaju and when I went to get the car at Igbeti to take it to my place, I observed that the car needed servicing because it was making some sounds.

“When I got to Saki, I called Asiwaju to inform him and he said he was not feeling well. Lawal came and took the car, and after two days, he complained that the car was faulty. He said I should come and get the car and give it to Asiwaju but I didn’t because I was tired of the back and forth.

“I told him to call Asiwaju; he did and the car was taken from his place. When I later called Asiwaju, he told me that he had taken the car and that when he checked the car, the repair would cost around N140,000. Asiwaju said he asked for N80,000 to repair the car’s engine after using N70,000 of his own money.”

The Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, when contacted, did not respond to calls or text messages sent to him on the matter as of the time this report was filed.