Susan Sewuese Tabugbo: True Story of a Liar, Fraudster…

Susan Sewuese Tabugbo claims she works with 2Sure, a division of Seven Up Bottling Company in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. She is a divorced mother of two children.

Susan and I got to know each other when I was an undergraduate at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 2008. Our friendship lasted for a few months because I graduated in 2009 and left the city thereafter. During our brief friendship, I treated her nicely, not just as a friend but as my younger sister.

I was one of those students who had no good financial background at the time, so I used to do menial jobs at a company called Sunseed Nigeria Plc. during holidays to support myself in school.

My earnings every two weeks were determined by how much energy and time I committed to the tasks. To earn N5000 (Five Thousand Naira), I would have to work day and night for most of the days. Even with my meager earnings, I saved money for myself and still supported Susan financially.

The background to the main story, as briefly captured, is not necessary, but I needed to show how my relationship with Susan started.

Now, fast forward to the main story. It all started in late January this year – 2024 – when Susan contacted me on Facebook. I had forgotten that we had been friends on Facebook.

She narrated her story – how she went from getting married, giving birth to two children, to divorce. Then, she expressed her desire to rekindle our relationship. I had just come back from my father’s burial and was more concerned about making some extra cash to pay debts and some bills.

I had about N200k left after the burial, which wasn’t enough to clear some debts and pay my house rent. My rent was overdue for two months and, though I had just come back from the burial, it wasn’t enough to appease a Lagos landlord. So I used the money to buy two LG TV sets – one 32 inches and the other 42 inches – from the popular Alaba International Market.

I wanted to sell the TV sets so I could have enough money to cover my needs. I told Susan about it, and she said she would help get a buyer. A few weeks later, Susan mentioned that her colleague in Zaria was interested in purchasing the 42-inch TV set.

I told her the amount I wanted to sell my TV for – N100k. She assured me that her colleague was ready to make the purchase but would pay in two installments, meaning the colleague would commit to a monthly payment of N50k each for two months. This was exclusive of the shipment cost, which the colleague also agreed to bear.

I knew I was taking a risk, considering that a TV is a fragile item that can easily get damaged, and the possibility of getting my money as agreed. But on second thought, every business involves risk. I hadn’t met Susan since I left Zaria in 2009. We reconnected on Facebook 14 years later.

I wasn’t sure if I could trust her or not. But I thought any woman who has been through the rigors of marriage, child-bearing, parenthood, and divorce like Susan should have some sense of responsibility to earn trust. Considering that she claims to be a staff of one of the biggest beverage manufacturers in Nigeria, I decided to try her out.

After some discussions and assurances from Susan, I agreed to send the TV set from Lagos to Zaria. The shipment went smoothly, and the TV reached Zaria in early February.

I was trusting that payment would commence that same month of February, but it didn’t happen. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and I have yet to receive any payment till now. Each time I contact Susan, she would have a new excuse.

First, she claimed her colleague was not paid for the month of February. Next, she and her colleague did not make much sales because most of their clients fasted in the months of March and April. Her stories became more elaborate with each call, but no money was forthcoming.

As February turned into March, I grew increasingly frustrated. Susan began avoiding my calls and responding to my WhatsApp messages sporadically. That’s when I realized that something wasn’t right. She had been lying to me. In May, the story changed.

She told me she had collected the TV from her colleague and kept it in her house, and she would be the one to pay me, not her colleague. I asked why she would pay for something she doesn’t need, because she already told me she has her own TV – a 32-inch.

She said her colleague noticed a tiny line on the TV screen and decided not to pay for it. According to her, she would pay for the TV because she made me send it. I told her it was needless to add burden to herself; she should simply send the TV back to me in Lagos or release it to a friend of mine who lives in Zaria. Susan insisted that she wanted to pay for the TV. The month of May ended, and I didn’t see anything.

When I contacted her, she said her father, a retired army Captain (according to her), was hospitalized at the ABU Teaching Hospital but assured me that the payment was being processed and would arrive soon.

This pattern of excuses continued through the months of May and June. By the end of June, she said her younger brother, who is a student at Zamfara State College of Education, was shot by bandits and was hospitalized at the same hospital.

By now, it was clear that Susan had tricked me. The so-called colleague in Zaria never existed; Susan had kept the TV for herself. My repeated attempts to recover the TV have been met with more lies and empty promises.

Reflecting on the events, I realized I had been too trusting and perhaps a bit naive. Susan had exploited that trust. As of today – August 3, 2024, I still haven’t got my TV, and Susan is still manipulating my patience with her deceit. I have vowed to get my TV back, and I’m ready to do whatever it takes. This is just the first step.