Police have arrested a 58-year-old man, Aminu Ado, for impersonating the widow of the late Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, in a bid to dupe unsuspecting Nigerians.

Ado, an ex-convict, who claimed to be a politician, said he was trying to raise money to organise prayers for the departed official.

Parading the suspect also known as Al Amin Yerima, in Abuja on Monday, the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, said Ado reached out to prominent Nigerians for donations to enable him to organise “special prayers for the soul of the departed”.

The police disclosed that the suspect had a mobile app that he used in disguising his voice in order to hoodwink his victims.

Mba said, “In the course of doing that, some of the prominent Nigerians became suspicious and reached out to us. He has been cooperative with the investigation and held back no facts.

“He is 58 years old; he also had a stint with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in 2019. He was charged before an Abuja High Court and was convicted and imprisoned for three months as a result of the plea bargain successfully initiated by his lawyers.”

Ado claimed he was a family friend to the deceased, but could not explain why he pretended to be a woman to solicit assistance. The suspect admitted he acted without the consent of the family.

The suspect said, “Some of the people I contacted for money included the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.More in Home

“I know these people very well; I am a politician and I have the ambition of being governor of Kano State 2023, Insha Allah.