Shame! NIPOST workers accused of stealing customer's diamond ring

A very ugly scenario is currently playing out at the NIPOST office in Lagos. 

SHOWBIZPLUSng learnt that an undergraduate student of the University of Lagos, Olayemi Victoria, has accused the Nigeria Postal Service of taking her engagement diamond ring sent by her fiancé from the United States of America.

Victoria, who is a final year student of the Department of Botany, said she also discovered that a BlackBerry Z10, valued $500, which came with the package, had been stolen.

She claimed that when she opened the pack, she only found a PlayStation, chocolate bar and a magazine.

She said, “My fiancé who lives in the USA, sent me a package consisting of a diamond ring, BlackBerry Z10, PS, chocolate bar and magazine.

“He could have used DHL, but I told him not to worry that I would get it through NIPOST because it was not my first time of using the service. He sent it in March, this year.

“I went to the UNILAG post office last week Monday when I was told the package had finally arrived. But on getting there, I discovered the package had been tampered with and the diamond ring and BlackBerry Z10 were not there.”

She said the manager of the UNILAG office told her the package was received that way, and nothing could be done about it.

Our correspondent gathered that Victoria alerted the institution’s security men to the incident in the hope of getting her ring and BlackBerry back.

This, however, did not work.

It was learnt that an official of the post office threatened to beat her up after she became more insistent on recovering the missing items.

Victoria told Punch Metro that she grew increasingly frustrated and reported the matter at the Sabo Police Station.

Our correspondent was told that the policemen at the station took her statement and demanded N5, 000 before going with her to investigate the case.

Victoria’s fiance, Gbolahan Ijimayowa, who is based in Dallas, USA, said he had instructed his fiancée to go to the police station after speaking with the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba.

Ijimayowa expressed disappointment at the way the police handled the matter, alleging that the package was tampered with at the UNILAG post office.

Ijimayowa, a registered nurse, in a telephone interview with our correspondent said, “I sent the package on March 11, 2014 through the United States Postal Service.

“I gave my fiancée the tracking number of the package so she could monitor it. I told her to keep checking at the post office, because I knew it could take up to four weeks before it would be delivered. But when the package finally arrived, they didn’t inform her.

“It was after two weeks that she was called by the UNILAG branch. I sent her the diamond engagement ring because we are planning our wedding soon. We have already had our introduction and engagement; then the BlackBerry Z10, and the PS, which is for my cousin. But the ring and BB were missing.

“I called Frank Mba, who said she should see policemen at Sabo, but those ones demanded N5,000 from her.”

Ijimayowa said if indeed the package was tampered with as claimed, there was supposed to be a documentation to that effect which could not be tendered by NIPOST.

“This is the way we spoil this country. I am sure the ring and BB were taken in the UNILAG office of NIPOST. They should be quizzed by the authorities. They should not be allowed to go scot-free. We need to have those things back,” he added.

When our correspondent visited the UNILAG office of NIPOST, which is located on the first floor of the varsity’s bookshop, he met three of the officials.

A lady, who wore the tag ‘Mbah Udonbanga’,  after listening to the allegation said, “Victoria indeed came here and made complaint that her package was tampered with and we have set up our internal investigation team to look into the matter and find out what exactly happened to the package.

“The complaint has also been directed to our district in Somolu and they are presently looking at it.”

When asked about the threat to the undergraduate, she said, “She said somebody threatened to slap her; did you ask her if she was slapped eventually? Her attitude was very bad when she came here, but she’s a customer and we had to just accommodate her that way.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Ngozi Braide when contacted on the allegation of the bribe of N5, 000, said she would speak with the Divisional Police Officer and call back.

But as of the time of going to the press she had yet to do so.