INNOCENT PHD SCHOLAR DRAGGED INTO FRAUD NIGHTMARE: TARABA MAN’S ORDEAL EXPOSES ALLEGED POLICE LAPSES AND VENDETTA BY DUBIOUS ACCUSER
By Global Times News
Jalingo, Taraba State
In a chilling tale of betrayal and injustice that has gripped the quiet community of Jalingo, Joseph Tachia, a humble PhD candidate with Taraba State University from a modest background, finds himself ensnared in a web of false accusations over a property scam he swears he never touched. On October 15, 2025, what began as a routine errand to buy a phone charger spiralled into a harrowing arrest, handcuffing, and courtroom drama—all orchestrated, sources say, by a former acquaintance with a shadowy past. As Tachia fights for his freedom ahead of a November 11 court date, questions swirl: Why has the Taraba State Police Command allowed his accuser, Sam, to roam free while an innocent man suffers and what role did manipulated evidence play in targeting a man whose only “crime” was sending his wife to Sam’s computer centre for training?
Tachia, a soft-spoken scholar pursuing his doctorate while supporting his young family on a shoestring budget, returned home around 7 p.m. that fateful evening. Spotting Sam—a familiar face from his undergraduate photocopy days—at the compound gate, flanked by two unidentified men, Tachia extended a neighbourly invitation to chat inside. Sam’s insistence on staying outdoors should have been the first red flag. “This is the person we’ve been looking for,” Sam allegedly declared to his companions moments after Tachia handed his wife a charger and biscuits for their son.
What followed was a violent ambush. As Tachia queried the cryptic remark about a “deal,” the trio grabbed him. His cries for help drew neighbours to his aid, averting immediate harm. But relief was short-lived. Enter Theophilus, an officer from the Taraba State University police outpost, who whisked Tachia away to the station without explanation. A frantic call to mentor Prof. Ajai confirmed the “legit” arrest, leaving Tachia no choice but to comply.
At the station, Sam’s narrative unravelled into absurdity. He accused Tachia of fraudulently selling a three-bedroom house for N14.5 million without disclosure, sparking his own arrest for conspiracy after advertising the property online. In a bizarre twist, overheard by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Sam claimed a divine vision: While in remand, “praying one day,” he “saw” Tachia’s picture and felt God pinpoint him as the culprit. Vowing revenge upon release, Sam said Tachia allegedly tracked him via a changed name—”Garba King’s Boy”—and a defunct Glo number from their past dealings.
Tachia, who last crossed paths with Sam in a 2023 Keke Napep ride, vehemently denies any involvement. “I’ve never sold land, never posed as an agent,” he told this reporter, his voice cracking with exhaustion. Friends and acquaintances from his undergrad days through his PhD. Journey corroborates: Tachia, a man of quiet integrity, has no footprint in real estate. His sole link to Sam? Encouraging his wife to learn computer skills at the centre in 2023—a goodwill gesture now twisted into a motive.
The ordeal escalated. Handcuffed and shuttled to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) headquarters on October 16, Tachia faced interrogation. The officer revealed contacts with the alleged buyer, lawyer, and others—but no accusers materialised. Locked in a cell overnight, Tachia endured another handcuffed haul to court on October 17. There, the prosecutor, citing the buyer’s absence (represented tentatively by the buyer and lawyer), remanded him pending identification. Bail pleas from Tachia’s lawyer and Prof. Ajai prevailed, sparing him further detention.
By October 20, in a packed courtroom, the clerk recited the litany of charges. Tachia pleaded ignorance; the judge, unmoved, demanded a N5 million surety or N100,000 cash bail—amounts crushing for a family scraping by. A last-minute intervention from Tachia’s boss secured his release on adjournment, but the emotional toll lingers. “Why me?” Tachia laments. “I’m no criminal—just a father, a student, trying to build a better life.”
Beneath the personal agony lies a damning pattern, according to reports obtained in the Taraba State Police Command. Sam, described by insiders as “dubious” with a “questionable character,” has allegedly confessed to the underlying fraud. Yet, in a bid to evade justice, he has implicated innocents—including his own uncle as the purported land seller—totalling 10 victims, with Tachia the latest scapegoat. A neighbour, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisal, revealed Sam’s initial approach: Unsure of his true target, he prowled the area, latching onto Tachia as “easy prey” due to the wife’s training link. “He knew Joseph was poor, vulnerable—no one to fight back hard,” the neighbour said.
Compounding the outrage: Key witnesses vanished when it mattered most. The buyer who allegedly confirmed Tachia’s “identity” in absentia never appeared during his handcuffed parades at headquarters or court. Nor did the barrister who purportedly drafted the documents. Why? Sources whisper of foul play: Tachia’s family fears Sam, armed with his photo from old interactions, circulated it to these figures for “easy identification,” to rope him into a crime not his own. “It’s a setup to prolong Sam’s escape from accountability,” one relative confided.
The public outcry is mounting. Community leaders and rights advocates are demanding the police reexamine Sam’s confessional statement with forensic scrutiny. “How can a ‘divine revelation’ substitute for evidence?” one activist asked. “Taraba Police must probe why these witnesses ghosted during critical moments—were they coerced, or is this institutional negligence?” Calls echo for an independent review: Release Tachia unconditionally, charge Sam fully, and compensate victims of this alleged smear campaign.
Tachia’s story is more than one man’s fight—it’s a stark indictment of a system that preys on the powerless. From the dusty streets of Jalingo to the halls of Taraba’s justice temples, the message is clear: Innocence isn’t a luxury for the poor. As November 11 looms, will authorities heed the plea for compassion, or let vendetta triumph over truth? The eyes of a nation—and a God who, ironically, Sam invokes—watch closely.
