This comes from a Kindly Contributor who it seems has been toying with these guys. Way funny but really, be careful! Just because we can't resist posting this (it is really juicy) doesn't mean it's safe for you to toy with these guys.

Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2000 03:13:50 +0200 (MET DST)
From: garu_bello@euroseek.com
To: (kindly contributor)
Subject: UPDATE
X-Originating-IP: 194.203.20.246
X-RCPT-TO: (kindly contributor)
Status: U

ATTN : (kindly contributor)
FROM : ENGR. GARUBA BELLO.

Dear partner,

We are very pleased to inform you that we have successfully secured two of the necessary approvals leading to the release of the funds and presently, the file / application has been passed over to the Committee . which is charged with the responsibility of reconciling the claim as contained in your application, and upon their satisfaction that the funds is backed up with the proper approvals from the Contract Review Panel (C.R.P.), you would be issued with the Exchange Control Approval Order Number, (E.C.A.O.N.).

The issue of reconciling the claim at the Committee is more or less an administrative / bureaucratic requirement, as we are confident that, with the approvals already secured, the process of reconciling is a mere exercise. What we are really concerned about and hoping that we receive soonest is the Exchange Control Approval Order Number from this committee. This is because the E.C.A.O.N. is very important to our project. The allocation of this number makes our claim unchallengeable by any authority whatsoever, because it confirms that your company has been officially recognized as the bona-fide beneficiary of the US$21,320,000.00 as a contract payment to your company. You can now appreciate why this number is very important to our successful officilisation and completion of this project with due recourse to our achieving absolute peace of mind after the transfer. However, we have no doubt in our capabilities to see that the number is issued as promptly as we expect, knowing fully well that we have satisfied all their requirements via the approvals already received.

Ordinarily, the allocation of the E.C.A.O.N. to a contractor marks the finalization of the funds release process. What will be left is for the contractor beneficiary to come over to Nigeria to sign the necessary funds release documents, but because of the true nature of our project, we do not want you to come to Nigeria for this purpose. [ heck no, no way! ] Our stand on this is based on pure good reasoning because while we might be extremely confident that on your proper education by us, as to the intricacies of the project, so as to allow your perfection of whatever interview that may be requested by the Central Bank Of Nigeria (C.B.N.) before the signing of the funds release documents, We cannot maintain the same level of confidence as to taking a chance with the possible request by the C.B.N. or any other governmental agency ( as part of the interview before the signing of the funds release documents ) that you should take them to them to the contract site for final inspection as this aspect of the interview is being really emphasised by this present democratic government.

    [ after untangling, this seems to mean that they trust you to fake the paperwork, but advise you not to come over there - yet(!) - as the government might actually want to see what they're getting for their money. That's if there were any money to begin with of course.]

You would agree with me that any such incident would be tantamount to jeopardizing the success already achieved as you might not be able to handle or manage such request perfectly. It is in this respect that it would be most prudent for the signing to be done by you, who is a business man as we cannot do this signing ourselves, being civil servants.

Now that our file is undergoing the above mentioned officialization process at the Committee, we would be busy ourselves with the process of negotiating for an International Guarantee Bond (I.G.B.), which we were informed by our contact at the C.B.N. that we need this Bond to backup the transfer of the money, (US$21,320,000.00) before the release of the funds from the C.B.N.(which happens to be our apex bank), to your account, via the Banker's Trust Company, New-York (CBN correspondent bank). According to our contact at the CBN, this requirement of having the funds backed up by a prior securance of an International Guarantee Bond (I.G.B.) to be entered into by an accredited Insurance Firm in Nigeria, emanated from the United Nations and the American Government's attitude towards funds in excess of US$8,000,000.00 from the CBN to the Banker's Trust Company.

Presently, we were informed by our contact that this requirement does not allow for the Telegraphic Wire Transfer to be commenced from Nigeria, without the evidence of payment of the Insurance Bond, to be accompanied by the Certificate. This implies that after the signing and endorsement of the C.B.N. funds release documents, the contractor beneficiary has to show proof of procurement of the I.G.B Certificate issued by an accredited Insurance firm here in Nigeria.

We have therefore started making arrangements / negotiations to perfect arrangements for the securance of the Bond with the Nigerian National Insurance Corporation Of Nigeria ( N.I.C.O.N ) being one of the accredited Insurance companies certified by the Government to issue such a policy. However, we are making all negotiations and arrangements by consulting the top officials of the Insurance company who can assist us to secure the bond at a less than official rate. Our principal partner, Alhaji Z. K. Balewa has been of immense assistance in this regard and we are very grateful to him for this and much more in respect of this project.I will be in position to brief you on how far we have gone to perfect the securance of the bond. This is our problem so let it not bother you. We know that ordinarily as a partner whose total trust, commitment and solidarity is not in any way in doubt, you would be concerned about how we handle this especially on the financial end and would probably want to assist us financially,   [ Ha! I think not!]   knowing fully well that we are all in this together. But we can manage and are confident that we should settle this in a couple of days bearing in mind that in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. This is our assurance to you. We will not let you down.

Presently, it is very likely that you might be contacted by the Committee directly, either by telephone call or fax any moment from now to inform you either of the allocation of the E.C.A.O.N. or to remind you of the necessity to secure the International Guarantee Bond for the purpose of the signing and endorsement of the funds release papers. In any of the above cases, on contact whatsoever from the Committee, please note that this is not in anyway out of place but a confirmation that your application has been given a final reconfirmation. Immediately you are contacted in this official capacity, please ensure that you get in touch with us either by phone, email or by fax to update us on this issue. Also endeavour to give me a call more often than you are presently doing so as to ensure constant and steady communication between us.

We have successfully been able to register your company here with the Corporate Affairs Commission - ( C.A.C.), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation- (N.N.P.C.), and filed all the necessary taxes that were needed to be paid by your company emanating from it's operation here in Nigeria. All the documentation have been back-dated to reflect the exact period of the contract execution. This is not only to officialise, but also to legitimize the fund transfer into your account ( for us all ), which will ensure a 100% risk-free and hitch-free process in accordance with our perfected modalities. These Certificates will be sent to you in case any of them is required from you by the officials of the Committee, as it would not be out of place for them to demand for copies. As you can see, we are looking into all possible eventualities so that we would not be caught napping in any way.

Please ensure to get in touch with me always, especially at this point of the project finalization, so that we can discuss further on all what we have achieved so far and for any further instructions we may need to pass over to you in lieu of the possible contact from these government people.

We thank you once again for your firm support, solidarity and co-operation and I look forward to your call same time tomorrow. We also wish to remind you on the importance of confidentiality most especially at this point of Victory, which is not too far away. I await your call.

Best regards,
Engr. G. Bello.

In case you hadn't already concluded this: Stay far far away!