A Nigerian air force officer who returned a missing parcel containing 37,000 euros ($41,500) in cash to its owner has received a two-rank promotion.
Bashir Umar has been promoted from aircraftman to the rank of corporal, a promotion that should have taken him 10 years to achieve.
As a member of the force’s Mobile Air Defence Team, he found a parcel containing lost money while on routine patrol with his colleagues.
He was part of the team deployed to the Kano airport, northern Nigeria, for security duties.
According to the air force, instead of keeping it, Bashir Umar called the telephone number on the parcel.
The phone number happened to be the contact of the owner of the money.
The air force leadership said in a statement last week that Umar will be rewarded “so as to encourage other personnel of the service.”
President Buhari had also commended Umar for his action and asked others to emulate.
At a ceremony on Thursday he received a letter of commendation.
A senior army official, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar said Mr Umar “displayed an uncommon act of integrity by returning the money to the owner”.
Mr. Umar, was present at the event with his parents. He said returning the money was part of the discipline he got from home and in service.
In the past Nigerian officials have rewarded individuals who have acted in similar ways.
August last year airport authorities in Lagos honoured two security guards after they returned a “sum of money and expensive items.”
In September last year again a cleaner was commended for returning “lost valuable” of a passenger.
Source: Africafeeds.com
