Lady Jailed After Thief Uses Her Stolen SIM to Defraud POS Vendor

• An 18-year-old lady from Kano was jailed after a thief used her stolen SIM card to defraud a POS vendor, despite having no connection to the crime.

• The anonymous victim shared her story with Freedom Radio, a local station in Kano.

• The lady recounted her experience of losing her phone during Taraweeh prayers during Ramadan.

An 18-year-old lady from Kano has shared her distressing experience of being wrongfully jailed after a thief used her stolen SIM card to defraud a POS vendor, despite her being completely unaware of the crime.

Speaking to Freedom Radio in Kano, the young lady, who chose to remain anonymous, explained how her ordeal began when her phone was stolen during Taraweeh prayers in Ramadan. At the time, she did not know that she needed to report the theft or immediately block the SIM, assuming that both her phone and number were lost for good. However, her sister later informed her that the stolen SIM had been reactivated.

Desperately trying to retrieve her phone, she repeatedly called the number, but the thief never answered. Unbeknownst to her, the police had already begun tracking the SIM after it was linked to a fraud case involving a POS vendor.

The victim recalled receiving a call from the police, who asked if she was familiar with the SIM card. After explaining that the number was hers but had been stolen, she was told that a POS vendor had been scammed using her SIM, and she was asked to come in for questioning.

Despite the local security clearing her of any wrongdoing, the case was taken to court. She claimed that during the trial, she was not allowed to defend herself, and the judge only listened to the POS vendor before sentencing her.

Her bail was set at ₦250,000 or the presentation of property documents—amounts her family couldn’t afford. As a result, she spent five harrowing days in prison, where she witnessed appalling conditions, including an overcrowded ward of 21 inmates, which housed three pregnant women and three nursing mothers. Some of the inmates had been arrested in a mass raid at a wedding.

During her time in prison, she also spoke about the poor quality of food, calling it “untouchable,” and revealed that she cried continuously because it was her first time away from her family. She added, “Prison strips you of respect. People insult you for anything.”

Fortunately, after a public outcry and emotional appeals from her family on the radio, she was eventually released. Now free, the 18-year-old is urging Nigerians to promptly report lost phones and quickly block or swap SIM cards to prevent similar situations. She also appealed for better care and support for pregnant inmates, who face harsh conditions in prisons with little to no support.