Nigerian UK Embassy Worker in big soup, caught red-handed by ITV

By Kolapo Olapoju

                             

A Nigerian embassy worker, Mr Alfa Abutu, has been caught on camera saying he can smuggle goods and cash out of the United Kingdom, by an undercover investigation carried out by ITV’s reporters.

Abutu, who is an accountant at the Nigeria High Commission (NHC) claimed he could transport items, including stolen art, out of "any airport" using his diplomatic connections!
Posing as a criminal gang, the ITV ‘Exposure team, led by reporter Mark Williams-Thomas, met Alfa Abutu, in a London hotel. Abutu told them that he could transport their stolen art to Paris.

                                       

After Exposure told Abutu the art was worth nearly £1 million, to which he suggested a commission of £250,000.

"Give me your suitcase, this suitcase usually has to be wrapped with the national flag before we can move it anywhere. And we use diplomatic vehicle whereby the police authorities will not stop us", he said
"The easiest way is that, let's say this box is loaded with $1 million and they are going out with it or gold, or diamond. With my link, we use a diplomatic vehicle from here straight to Heathrow or Gatwick. They will not open the box they are bringing out. It's not a problem," he added

    

After Abutu later found out it was a fake deal, Abutu denied any wrongdoing and said he had never been involved in criminal activities. 

He said he is local staff, not a diplomat, doesn't have diplomatic immunity and couldn't have assisted the Exposure team to move an item, also saying he believed Exposure's undercover reporter was not genuine, so he decided to play along with him. 

However, following the revelations, the Nigeria High Commission immediately suspended Abutu from his position in the accounts department, where he had worked for six years, saying it "utterly condemns Mr Abutu's conduct,