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Nigerian government issues British conmen alert

Ahem...

Mrs MARIAM ABACHA TAYLOR, wife of the recently-cuffed CHARLES TAYLOR of LIBERIA, had better watch her step when she gets off the plane at Heathrow with a suitcase crammed with the SIXTEEN MILLION DOLLLARS ($16 MILLION) set aside by her thoughful hubby before his unfortunate downfall, because the place is crawling with conmen waiting to "pour tomato juice or other substances" on her dress before offering to help remove it, in the process fleecing the hapless dictator's other half of her hard-earned cash.

That's according to an official travel advisory issued by the Nigerian government obtained by Reuters, Yahoo! reports. Other advanced techniques used by pitiless ne'er-do-wells to part Nigerians from their valuables involves "pretending to pick up an object from under a potential victim's seat to distract his attention while he robs him".

The advisory identifies blackspots as "airports, high streets, markets, hotels and restaurants, shopping centres, tube stations, bus stops and buses", and declares: "Nigerian travellers are hereby warned not to carry large amount of money on their body and ensure that their air tickets, passports, expensive wrist-watches as well as trinkets are securely hidden."

Although the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom has recorded "an upsurge in crime and assault against Nigerians visiting London in the recent past", it says miscreants are not targeting Nigerians specifically, but "ostentatious dressing, spending and ancillary actions may identify a target".

Enough said. Mrs MARIAM ABACHA TAYLOR, consider yourself duly warned. ®

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