Applause For Kano Snacks Shop Operator For Returning Customer’s Money

A Snack Bar operator at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, Suleman Dauda has received commendations for returning the excess of twenty thousand Naira (N20,000) mistakenly deducted from a customer’s bank account, as the number of Nigerians towing the path of integrity is said to be on the increase.
The Director of Network Operations Radio, DAAR Communication PLC, Ibiyemi Olufowobi whose money was returned led the wide commendations during an anti-corruption radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE on RADIO, produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Olufowobi who was full of praise for Dauda’s rare act of honesty said it was refreshing to find out that there are more Nigerians living upright, adding that her mindset has been changed.
Narrating her experience, she noted that the snacks bar operator could have kept back the excess of the money erroneously transferred to his own bank account through the Point of Sale (POS) machine without noticing it.
“On my way to Lagos, I decided to have a coffee and biscuit at Kano airport. I used my debit card to pay two thousand Naira to Suleman through a POS machine but I did not look at the POS receipt, not knowing twenty thousand Naira was keyed in instead of two thousand Naira.
“Shortly after, Dauda came to me and said sorry madam there was an error, we mistakenly keyed in twenty thousand Naira rather than two thousand Naira I was amazed because they could have gone away with it and I wouldn’t have known because I switched off my phone to save battery.”
Elated, Olufowobi disclosed that she immediately told people around her at the airport what transpired and also took to her social media page to celebrate the snacks operator’s act of integrity which attracted a throng of commendations by Nigerians.
She disclosed that other persons at the airport testified that Dauda was once allowed into an aircraft to identify and return a telephone handset forgotten by a passenger in his bar.
Similarly, the Communication Lead at Accountability Lab Nigeria, Prince Chimaraoke Chukwuka lauded Dauda’s honesty, saying that there are more Nigerians of integrity working in private and public establishments whose uprightness has not been noticed.
He revealed that Accountability Lab Nigeria which is currently processing nominations for the 2021 Integrity Icons received more nominees of Nigerians displaying integrity in the public sector as against previous years. Adding that it is was a sign that more citizens are imbibing acts of integrity within their sphere of influence.
“There are still people out there who would not compromise standards, they will continue doing the right thing whether they are seen, celebrated or not.
“Last year we (Accountability Lab Nigeria) received over eight hundred nominations of Nigerians displaying integrity in the public sector nationwide but this year we have one thousand one hundred and thirty-nine nominees.”
Chukwuka also revealed that plans are already underway to promote integrity among citizens by building a coalition of integrity icons and nominees.
“Beyond celebrating integrity Icons, we want to see the way we can work with them on long term basis; we are now building what we call a Coalition of Persons of Integrity, they would be incorporated into what we call Integrity Innovation Lab, and this is where we bring in people of integrity and have them to discuss within their environs, citizens, colleagues at workplaces and have them to share their integrity experiences,” Chukwuka said.
Earlier, Suleman Dauda revealed that his act of integrity was rooted in his upbringing, saying that returning things that do not belong to him have been his lifestyle over time.
He disclosed that some people around him have been discouraging him from being honest but the majority of them are in support of his acts.

Public Conscience is a syndicated weekly anti-corruption radio program used by PRIMORG to draw government and citizens’ attention to corruption and integrity issues in Nigeria.
The program is supported by the MacArthur Foundation.

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