In a rare display of honesty that has captured public admiration, a small-scale trader in Jos, Mrs Sarah Luka, has returned ₦1,000,000 that was accidentally packed in a leather bag she purchased.
Mrs Luka, who runs a modest business in the Lamingo area, visited Terminus Market on Saturday to buy leather bags from wholesaler Mr Abubakar Dola.
Unknown to her, one of the bags she purchased contained a polythene bag holding the cash, which Mr Dola had intended to transfer to a POS operator.
“I am a poor businesswoman. I know what it means to suffer loss,” Mrs Luka told reporters. “If I put that kind of money, which is not mine, into my business, I believe God would punish me.”
She added that her decision was straightforward, saying, “Because the money is a mistake and not mine, I had to return it.”
Three days later, Mrs Luka returned the full amount to Mr Dola’s shop, demonstrating an uncommon act of integrity.
Mr Dola expressed immense relief and gratitude. “I had completely given up because I didn’t know how the money got lost. I didn’t even think I put the money in someone’s goods,” he said.
He prayed for blessings upon Mrs Luka, adding, “I pray Allah rewards her with more than what she did for me. I pray Allah gives us more people of her kind who fear God. It’s not easy to have people of her character.”