By ABBAS BAMALLI

An online newspaper, Katsina City News, on Thursday doled out N250, 000 to a policeman, Nura Mande, who returned missing 800 dollars belonging to a female pilgrim in Katsina State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that a female pilgrim lost the money at the Katsina Hajj camp while preparing for a trip to Saudi Arabia for the just concluded hajj.

The money was presented to Mande at the Police Headquarters in Katsina by a member of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ali Abu-Albaba, on behalf of the newspaper.

Abu-Albaba said that the newspaper decided to honour the police Constable for his honesty and integrity.

“Not everyone can find such money at a place where no one was looking, and return it to the owner.

“We are presenting this money and the certificate to him so that it can encourage his colleagues and other members of the public to always remain honest.

“If he had taken the money and did not return it, because no one was seeing him, God had seen him and he must account for it someday.

“But due to his honesty and good character, he has now generated respect for himself and the entire police force, because many people have been commending him,” he added.

Abu-Albaba recalled that a hajj seat had been paid for the policeman by another person, to perform the 2023 pilgrimage.

He urged other well-meaning Nigerians to honour people around them who display positive characters.

Abu-Albaba commended the police command in the state for the efforts being made to tackle the recurring insecurity in the state.

In his response, the Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, Idris Dauda-Dabban appreciated the gesture, saying the action of the Constable was inspiring and worthy of emulation.

He recalled that the command had also presented award to Mande for “exhibiting such good character, honesty and integrity.

“We are happy with his conduct, the organisation he was posted to is happy and also the people of Katsina state are happy, because he is from the state.

“That is to say that in any society, no matter how decadent it is, we must have good people.

“In fact, many people have been calling me about him. Even the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission were here to greet and congratulate us because of this singular act of honesty.”

The police commissioner appreciated the online newspaper for the gesture. (NAN)

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