Ogun police nab 28‑year‑old for posing as FUNAAB student and stealing phone

How the fraud unfolded

It started with a simple complaint from a frustrated student at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB). Abdulmadjid Mohammed reported that his Samsung phone had vanished from his dormitory. When the university’s security team traced the missing device, a name popped up that had no place on campus: Awoyemi Moses, a 28‑year‑old who was not enrolled at the university.

Police discovered that Moses had been living illegally in the Needs Assessment Hostel, a facility meant for students awaiting accommodation. By showing a forged student ID and using a confident manner, he managed to blend in with genuine undergraduates. The forged documents allowed him to access Wi‑Fi, library services, and even the campus canteen.

According to the university’s Chief Security Officer, the imposter’s presence went unnoticed for weeks. The security team only became aware when another student flagged the missing phone. The stolen handset was quickly located on Moses’s phone, thanks to the phone’s “find my device” feature, which sent a real‑time location to the owner and, subsequently, to the authorities.

Police action and next steps

Ogun State Police Command’s spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, confirmed that officers moved to the hostel as soon as the tip came in. “When we arrived, we were handed a report from Abdulmadjid Mohammed. The phone was tracked and recovered from Moses’s possession,” she said in a statement.

During questioning, Moses confessed to both impersonating a student and stealing the phone. He admitted that he used the fake identity to gain access to campus facilities, which he then exploited for personal gain.

The police have now referred the case for further investigation. Odutola added that a preliminary investigation will determine the exact charges, after which Moses will be presented before a court.

This episode has sparked a conversation about security gaps in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Experts point out that many universities still rely on paper‑based ID verification, making it easy for forged documents to slip through. Some suggested measures include:

• Introducing biometric checks at hostel entry points.
• Regular audits of resident lists against university enrollment records.
• Mandatory digital verification of student IDs linked to a central database.
• Enhanced awareness campaigns so students can spot suspicious behavior.

While the immediate pressure is on the police to bring the case to court, the broader challenge remains: how to keep campuses safe without turning them into high‑security zones that stifle academic life. The FUNAAB impersonation case serves as a stark reminder that security protocols need constant updating to match the ingenuity of those looking to exploit them.