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A student of Joseph Sarwuaan Tarkaa University Makurdi (formerly Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi) has fallen victim to a N150,000 scam orchestrated by a fellow student posing as a house agent and caretaker.
The victim, Joshua, a 100-level student in the Department of Library and Information Science, reportedly paid the sum to Dzua Titus Adera after inspecting an apartment in the student-dominated area around the university. Titus, a 200-level student in the Department of Chemistry Education, allegedly presented himself as the legitimate agent for the property.
After making the payment, Joshua proceeded to furnish the apartment only to discover that Titus had no connection whatsoever to the house or its owner. The real caretaker confirmed that the money had been paid to the wrong person. Attempts to reach Titus on his phone number (09013752075) have failed as the line remains switched off.
The incident was brought to public attention through a widely circulated social media post by commentator D’naked Elder Sughnen Yaaya, who described Titus as “another yahoo house agent” and issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the suspect to refund the money voluntarily. The post urged anyone who knows Titus to advise him to return the funds peacefully, warning that further action may follow if the deadline is ignored.
Accommodation scams targeting new and returning students remain a persistent problem around tertiary institutions in Nigeria, particularly at the start of sessions when demand for off-campus housing is high. Fraudsters often exploit the urgency of students seeking affordable lodging near campuses.
Authorities at Joseph Sarwuaan Tarkaa University and local police have yet to issue an official statement, but affected students are encouraged to report such incidents promptly to aid recovery and prevent future occurrences. Meanwhile, the university community has been reminded to verify agents and insist on meeting actual property owners or verified caretakers before making payments.
