By Daniel D.
Two Cameroonians, Atemnkeng Narcisse and Ananfac Joseph Nguajong, have fallen victim to job scams in Benin.
Joseph was living in Cameroon when his friend, Kingsley, proposed a job opportunity in the Benin Republic.
Trusting his friend, Joseph did not anticipate that he could be scammed. Kingsley initially informed Joseph that the company required FCFA 700,000, but later, the company requested FCFA 750,000. Unable to afford the amount, Joseph declined the offer.
However, Joseph’s ordeal did not end there. A friend of his wife, Stephanette Alemju, suggested another job opportunity in her company in Benin, where she claimed to be the stock controller.
She assured Joseph that the company only required FCFA 300,000 and that she would handle the rest.
When Joseph arrived in Nigeria, intending to move to Benin, the scammers took the remaining FCFA 110,000 he had, along with his SIM card to prevent communication with his family.
“They started telling me stories that it’s business, and for me to succeed, I must call other people to come so that they take money from them and give me part of the money. They said there are products in Malaysia I have to buy. I refused to comply, so they withheld food and water for three days,” Joseph recounted to MMI.
Stephanie Alemju, his wife’s friend, then suggested that Joseph forget about his family and stay with her.
Under pressure, Joseph managed to get his SIM card back and escape the company with the help of his family.
While escaping from Abuja, Stephanie contacted his wife in Cameroon, claiming Joseph needed more money. His wife borrowed and sent FCFA 500,000.
Ananfac Joseph’s experience is not unique, as many Cameroonians have been deceived by fake job offers in Mali, Ghana, and Benin.
Similarly, Atemnkeng Narcisse from Alou in Lebialem was also a victim of a job scam in Benin. Her aunt, also named Stephanie, presented a promising job opportunity as a woodworker or furniture designer.
She promised to lend Atemnkeng FCFA 500,000 for document processing in Benin. Atemnkeng sold her properties and borrowed FCFA 300,000 for transportation, based on her aunt’s assurances.
Upon arrival in Abuja, Nigeria, she discovered her aunt was already there, and the promised funds were not forthcoming. Instead of the woodwork job, her aunt urged her to recruit others, promising a share of the money they would bring.
When Atemnkeng refused, they threatened to call the police.
In Abuja, Atemnkeng met Joseph, who was facing a similar situation. They teamed up and eventually made their way back to Cameroon.
The experiences of Atemnkeng and Joseph highlight the challenges and desperate measures Cameroonians take to secure jobs abroad.
Many are enticed by the promise of high salaries, only to be scammed. In a similar case, Ghanaian authorities dismantled a network a few years ago that was duping Africans with fake job offers in the country.
Every year, thousands of Cameroonians leave or attempt to leave the country in search of greener pastures abroad. The country’s President Paul Biya, whose government has been repeatedly blamed for the youth exodos, has been beseeching young people to stay back and develop the country.
