Top 5 times animals accuse of swallowing money in Nigeria

Nigeria is the seventh-most populous country in the world, and the most populous black nation with more than 200 million people and a population of 34.5 million goats, 22.1 million sheep, and 13.9million cattle. Despite that, some animals have been accused of “swallowing” money.

For the past years, some viral stories of animals escaping, swallowing, and eating money have been going viral in Nigeria. While some of the stories are unconfirmed or fake, yet no verified evidence that the accused animals can eat or swallow such an amount.

Below is the 5 times animals appeared on Nigeria news for swallowing money.

Animals accused of swallowing money in Nigeria

1. Snake swallowed 36 million

In 2018, a Nigerian sales clerk was suspended after she told auditors that a snake had swallowed 36 million Naira (the equivalent of $100,000). The clerk, Philomena Chieshe, was working at an office for the Nigerian examination board, which collects exam fees. The exam board, the Joint Admissions, and Matriculations Board told the BBC that it dismissed her claim and has started disciplinary proceedings.

Fabian Benjamin, a representative of the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board, told CNN that the employee admitted to the auditors that the snake “swallowed” the missing money. She admitted that she had the money and kept it in an office’s safe, but the snake came and swallowed the money, Benjamin explained

The clerk denied the allegations, saying the exam board made up the snake story. She also accused the examination board of turning it into the authorities, who, she said, had not yet questioned her about the missing funds. “I did not say that the money had been swallowed by the snake. Nobody asked me about that case. I am just a clerk and work under the guidance of directors who are accountants. I wonder why they are personifying this case?”

2. Gorilla swallowed 6.8 million

In 2019, the gorilla was said to have swallowed 6.8 million Naira (the equivalent of more than $19,000). The money in question is said to be entrance fees collected by the zoo’s patrons, especially during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.

The zoo head and police confirmed the incident. “The police are investigating what happened – all I can say is that the money is missing,” the Zoo’s CEO, Umar Cashekobo, was quoted as saying.

AFP journalist Aminu Abubakar visited the zoo, where he was told that there had never been a gorilla on its territory since it first opened almost half a century ago.

Umar Yusuf, the zoo’s CEO, explained that the money in question had been stolen around 3 a.m. on Sunday, June 9, 2019. “Alleged armed robbers stormed the zoo, broke into the administrative part, robbed and looted seven offices,” Yusuf said. The authorities are still investigating the crime.

3. Monkey swallows N70 million

In February 2018, a senator stated that the N70 million, which was given to the Northern Forum of Senators, was swallowed by monkeys at the leader’s farm. Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna) told reporters minutes after Senator Abdullahi Adama was deposed as chairman of the Northern Senators Forum.

Senator Adamu was accused of misuse of N70 million belonging to the Northern senator’s Forum. Shehu Sani said, according to the deposed Senator, that some monkeys had allegedly swallowed the money. He said the money was swallowed by monkeys on the Senator’s farm.

“This N70 million was money raised by northern senators from the 7th Senate. So it was given to the 8th Senator from the Northern part of Nigeria under the 8th Senate. I think this nation is becoming a huge joke. The first one… snakes swallow about N36 million, and now you have monkeys,” Sani said.

4. Goats consume N50 Billion

In April 2020, a viral story circulating on various blogs and social networks suggests that the Nigerian federal government has admitted that 50 goats ate 50 billion Naira (about $129 million) for charities. That is one goat consumed one billion Naira lol.

The site claimed that the “chairman” said: “We regret to inform you that we don’t know how 50 goats came to the office to eat 50 billion naira without our soldiers knowing,” it also calmed the Nigerians; as it says, “the Nigerians need to be patient because we don’t know how to give everyone the relief fund”.

The circulated story did not mention the exact Federal Government Agency that made the report, the date, and the place where it was announced. The chairman’s name, who reportedly appealed to the Nigerian, was also not mentioned. At no point did the federal government admit that it had lost 50 billion Naira on 50 goats.

5. Elephant escapes with N125 million

The elephant, who was said to be alive and walking, came to the bank in the afternoon of Tuesday, February 27, 2018, just after the money van left the bank premises. According to the post from a Facebook user, the bank manager Mr Ogunwusi Olaia allegedly said that the elephant had stolen 125 million dollars from the bank located at the border of Seme, Lagos.

Shadrack Okpomhe wrote: “Mysterious Elephant Appears In First Bank Nig. – Lagos – Swallows 125Million Live. A live walking and physically okay ELEPHANT was seen today, a few minutes ago at a First Bank Nigeria Branch at Seme Border – Lagos State, Nigeria, at exactly 01:47 p.m. in the bank premises after the bank received a dispatch of money from the Bank Headquarters.”

“The ELEPHANT was said to appear just moments immediately after the MONEY VAN left the bank premises. The route at which this ELEPHANT came into the bank is yet to be known.”

Incidentally, First Bank of Nigeria, which the elephant purportedly stole from, has an elephant in its mascot. For days, the bank had to reassure its customers on Twitter that their money was safe.

6. Termites consumed N17 Billion

It was speculated that termites were responsible for the destruction of some papers belonging to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), which detailed expenditures of N17.1 billion. These papers give specific information on the expenditures made by the organization in 2013.

This information was provided by NSITF management when it testified in front of the Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC). Michael Akabogu, who is now serving in the role of Managing Director, said that the organization had the aforementioned papers.

He informed the panel that the container in which the papers had been stored under previous management had not only been subjected to the effects of rain over the course of many years, but it was also possible that termites had eaten away at it. “I informed the previous management officials of the need for them to assist us in answering this question with the appropriate records, which have not been made accessible to us.”