"The Road to Chad/Darfur" is a scam bait from 2005 against a Nigerian 419 (or "advance fee fraud") scammer, who went by "Barrister Koffi Kuku". AFF scammers are those scammers that inform you that you're owed some large sum of money, but you must first pay a solicitor's fee, transfer fee, clearance money, etc.

Unlike modern scam baiters, the man running this ampaign had greater aspirations than just to frick around with them for 30 minutes and make a YouTube video out of it. He donned the persona of Reverend Belcher: an aid worker on the Chad/Sudan border. The Chad/Sudan border has two important characteristics for this story: firstly, there are no banks. Secondly, Chad and Sudan were on the brink of war, due to Chadian rebel groups occupying the border.

Most of the exchange is from May 2006. Reverend Belcher convinces Barrister Koffi Kuku to come to the alleged refugee camp to collect the funds in person, as there are no banks nearby. Koffi Kuku sends the following email:

From koffi kuku Tue May 2 014224 2006

Dear rev,

I am comfortable with you as well and I hope every thing is going to work as schedule. You should expect my associates by next week so you have to give them security as much as you can and do not allow them to go out to the city with much cash unless for good reason.

Belcher promises a UN escort for Kuku's "associates". He also sweetens the deal somewhat, to ensure Kuku follows through:

Rev.

Just to be clear, your associates need to be aware of what they are picking up here. First, there is a locked briefcase. This is where the $145,000.00 is right now. I will also provide them with the key to the briefcase. There are also four boxes, each weighing about 7 kilos. They are not too big. A little bigger than a laptop computer. These boxes are for you to keep. There will also be some other mail that I hope that they can mail for me.

Barrister.

If I may ask, what is the content of the four boxes coming to me and what am I to do with it?

Rev.

Well, I wanted the four boxes to be a surprise but since you are not coming yourself, I guess that it is OK to tell you now. Each box contains an industrial laptop computer from Dell. The Dell corporation has been a huge monetary and material contributor to the people here at the camps. These industrial laptops are truely amazing. You can drop one off of the end of a table and it will work just fine. You could leave it out in the rain all night and it will work just fine. It is impervious to dust and heat. I am using one right now. Dell gave us 25 of these. I am giving you four of them. They are yours to keep and tokens of my appreciation for all of your help.

The Reverend also tries to learn the names of the associates, but is met with silence for a few days. Eventually, he gets a response from a new email address claiming to be one Fredrick Okonji, one of the associates.

Dear rev. Belcher,

My name is FREDRICK N. OKONJI. I and my colleague MR. WILLIAMS were sent by Mr. Kuku to come to Chad to receive the money from you. We will be coming on the 13th May 2006 and will briefly stop at Abuja to enable my colleague to pick up his International Passport from the Immigrations office where it was sent for renewal. This will not take more than 8hours.

We have with us the map which you sent to our boss and your telephone numbers as we hope to locate you with these materials.

You can inform our boss Mr. Kuku if there are any other thing that we need to know.

Thanks,

FREDRICK N. OKONJI

The trip is to take 4 to 5 days. Reverend Belcher informs them that money is not a concern: the associates need only take enough money for a one-way ticket, as he will finance their return journey.

Barrister.

How are you today? Mr. Okonji and Mr. Williams left yesterday to locate you at the camp to receive the money from you. They are in Abuja now.

The journey from Abuja may take them up to 3days to get to you. I hope that they make it in less than that.

Sir, you are expected to take care of their wellfare by showing them the best and secured route to follow since you know the development in that area.

Reverend.

Mr. Kuku,

Don't worry about a thing. I will take real good care of them. This will be a trip they will never forget.

I would still like photos of the two. Please send them today if you can. I need to update the UNHCR.

Unluckily for the scammer's associates, border security are the bigger fish.

I received a sad news from the boys this morning. They said that the boarder immigration officers of both Nigeria and Cameroon collected almost all the money they had in the pretence of giving them visas and yellow cards.

It seems that the associates are not quite as invested now, as they begin to learn the dangers of the area they're approaching. Perhaps they were slightly misled by their "boss"

From Fredrick Okonji Sun May 14 085136 2006

Dear Rev. Belcher,

Our boss has instructed me to write to you. I an sorry to tell you Mr. Williams is sick from all the travel. We need rest. We will come to receive the money from you when Mr. Williams is not sick. We recieved yellow cards from the immigration official here in chad. Our boss has sent us more money to complete our travel to you .I hope to be with you in two days.

I have fear about the security in the area you are in. I spoke to a man that said the area was highly insecured and that I have to be very sure of where I was going. He also informed me that armed robber seized one of the jeeps and held hostage all the occupants in the car.

Thanks,

Fredrick Okonji

The Reverend is sure to inform the boss that he is beginning to lose faith in the associates. But Barrister Kuku confirms that they will complete the task.

You should have confidence in the boys. I took time to select them because of their humility and the fear of God in them. Both of them were graduates of a minor seminary and have been trained to love God and humanity as well. I had to use these boys because of the confidence I have on them. They are God fearing and are well brought up. Their uncle has been my associates for six year and has been an honest person to deal with. They will complete the job. Please be patient with them and understand that it is long way from Lagos to your location.

He receives a response from Fredrick confirming that everything is well and going to plan.

I really would not want to wait or spend a night in this town again. The people here are very hostile and do not have respects for missionaries.

Belcher sends an email to Kuku with this lovely line

I just want to tell you again Mr. Kuku, how much I appreciate all that you are doing for me. In a day and age where I see so much corruption from people, it's nice to see that there are still people out there willing to help others. You are just such a man. I am sure that you will one day be rewarded for all of your life's good works.

The author now introduces a new character: Benjamin Boyd. Boyd explains to Kuku that Belcher has left the camp with the cash to go help a child who was injured in a recent border incident at Al Fashir. He also receives a phone call from UNHCR asking who he (Benjamin Boyd) is, and who "these men are here to see".

Things now begin to turn upside down for the would-be scammers.

From koffi kuku Wed May 17 093530 2006

Rev. Boyd,

I have tried calling the number that you have give me several times with no succes in talking to you. You need to call me urgently. The boys have been instructed how to get to Al Fashir but are afraid the plane will not wait long enough for them and leave them stranded. Please I beg you to call me at once. They are suffering. They had horrible experience following through the road from Njamena all through Abeche and complained to me how the police and other officials harrased and exploited them during their journey to Abeche. Please tell Rev. Belcher not to leave until they arrive where he is. The boys want to take the plane home and not drive back the road they just traveled. Did Rev. Belcher tell you if he had the laptop computers with him to? Please call me now at xxxxxxxxxxxxx. Fredrick is my friends nephew and he is worryed about his well being.

Barrister Koffi Kuku (Esq).

From Benjamin Boyd Wed May 17 095412 2006

From koffi kuku Wed May 17 122156 2006

Rev. Boyd,

I need you to call me urgently. The boys are going to go where Rev. Belcher is and receieve the money from him and take the plane to Nigeria .They do not want to drive back through the same way. They were requested to pay C 30,000 cifer each to continue to the border. I am worry because Sudan is a war zone. I want to know once they arrive with Rev. Belcher. The boys should be there tomorrow.

Please call me at xxxxxxxxxxxxx.

Barrister Koffi Kuku (Esq).

From Benjamin Boyd Wed May 17 123618 2006

Dear Mr. Kuku,

I think that your associates have made a good decision. The road to Al Fashir is quiet and peaceful. The trouble that has occurred lately in West Darfur has all been 300 or more kilometers North, close to me.

I will forward this message immediately to Rev. Belcher. I did not know that Rev. Belcher had money for you. Thank you for sharing. Don't worry. Your business is safe with me.

I will continue to try calling you. Hopefully, I will get through one of these times.

Yours in the Lord,

Rev. Benjamin Boyd

The author notes here that, during this time, West Darfur (where Al Fashir is located) is incredibly dangerous. There were ongoing genocides. https://maps.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/darfur_villages_0802_2004.jpg

"The boys" manage to acquire a car to drive to the final destination. Boyd continues to downplay the situation, making excuses for not being able to call the scammer.

From koffi kuku Thu May 18 112503 2006

Rev. Boyd,

I do not understand why you do not call me. This is not a child game. Please find another phone to use. I have real worry for the safty of the boys. The car doe snot matter. The boys can ise it. I think that someone shouod look for them now.It will ne dark sson.

Barrister Koffi Kuku (Esq).

From Benjamin Boyd Thu May 18 113226 2006

Dear Mr. Kuku,

I totally understand your concern and I am trying my hardest to contact you by phone. Things do not always work the way you want all the time, especially complicated telecommunications equipment. We're dealing with satellite technology that is a bit out of my control here.

I will talk to some of the people around here about getting someone from Abeche, Farchana or Adre to drive on over and see what the story is. Maybe they just ran out of gas or something.

Yours in the Lord,

Rev. Benjamin Boyd

From Benjamin Boyd Thu May 18 135310 2006

Dear Mr. Kuku,

I just spoke with Rev. Belcher. He is getting a little concerned that maybe the boys are not really on their way, that perhaps they decided to head back to Nigeria. Could this be the case? Have you heard anything from them?

Yours in the Lord,

Rev. Benjamin Boyd

Boyd now hatches a new scheme: the money will be send to Abuja (the capital of Nigeria) with the pilot of the plane that is taking the injured child. Kuku agrees he can meet to collect the money, but is still concerned about his "boys".

From koffi kuku Thu May 18 172446 2006

Rev. Boyd,

I think that I can be there meet the pilot on Saturday. I am more worried about the boys now. I still have not heard anything. Have you?

Mr. Eric from the unhcr is a bastard. He would not agree to send any of his people to look for the boys. Who are you sending to look?

Barrister Koffi Kuku (Esq).

From Benjamin Boyd Fri May 19 114615 2006

Dear Mr. Kuku,

I just spoke with Rev. Belcher. Like you, we are both gravely worried about the boys. It's been a couple of days now and there seems to be no trace of them anywhere.

Please do not tell anyone about this but I have an associate who knows of a guy who will do dirty work for the right price. This man has contacts within the Sudan Liberation Army, the people who seem to have the upper hand in Western Darfur right now. With your permission, I would like to contact this man and see what we can do about locating the boys. What do you think?

Yours in the Lord,

Rev. Benjamin Boyd

Using the SLA is apparently a step too far for Kuku. But he's beginning to catch on that something isn't quite right...

From koffi kuku Fri May 19 141205 2006

Rev. Boyd,

I am very surprised to hear you speak of mercinarys like this. How is it that a man of God knows such things and people? I think that the UN is better placed to handle this situation. What do your friends with the UN say is happening?

And if Rev. Belcher has a plane now why didnt he fly to a bank of his own with his money? Why have people come to receive it in person? These are questions that people have been asking me today.

Barrister Koffi Kuku (Esq).

Some good news! Sort of...

It turns out that the boys were picked up by immigration police, and are being held for trial in August. The officer speaking to Kuku says he can release them early for a fee of $4,000, if he comes to collect them. It also turns out that Okonji is Kuku's own nephew. This was all discovered in a 10-minute phone call between Kuku and Boyd.

It begins to get worse. The $4,000 is now off the table: instead, they want $80,000.

From koffi kuku Sun May 21 093701 2006

Rev. Belcher,

Rev. Boyd says that I need to talk to you for help. The police in Sudan is demanding a $80000 fee for release the boys. The money that you have is for humanitarian purposes. The boys are humanitarian and are in jail because they are God fearing people who love people and humanity. I beg in the name of God that you to send me the money in yout airplane to pay for the boys. Please call me urgently do talk about this in detail.

Barrister Koffi Kuku (Esq)

Kuku finally gets up off his butt

From koffi kuku Tue May 23 061208 2006

Rev. Belcher,

I will leave tomorrow and arrive thusday in the afternoon. I have to fly to Franfurt Germany before flying to Khartoum. I had to sell a car to pay the airline fee. I need you to give me your phone number and address in Khartoum. I want to see you before I go to get the boys from Kober jail. I beg you to have $80000 to give me before I see the boys so I can pay there fees to the police. Please call me at xxxxxxxxxxxx.

Barrister Koffi Kuku (Esq).

From Kuhm Belcher Tue May 23 073126 2006

Hi Mr. Kuku,

I am happy to hear that you were able to make travel arrangements so quickly. I am truely amazed. Why did you have to sell your car? I thought that you were a millionaire.

...

He drags on with more bait.

Kuku must defend his image

From koffi kuku Tue May 23 082106 2006

Rev. Belcher,

I did not say that I have no money. My bossom friend Mr. Mike Adenuga who is billonaire business man here in Nigeria is asking me to be a managing director to his globacom telecommuination company. While I am preparing for this, I am so busy that I do not have time to do any business here in Nigeria as I am not even sure of the economic stability, so I am financially tight now. That is why I sold my car.

I thank you for meeting with the police offcial. I do not like him but see clear that I have to do what he wants so that is why I hope that you will help me financially when I get there. I do not want you to go with me to the Kober jail as I think that would make the situation more diffuclt for me.

Barrister Koffi Kuku (Esq).

More rambling and story building. Then this

From koffi kuku Thu May 25 134131 2006

Rev. Boyd,

This situation is become unbearable. I went to Kober prison and was met with hostility. The officials there denied having the boys with them. I was made to feel like a fool.This stress is more than I am able to continue with. If I go back to Nigeria without the boys I am dead. I have asked to speak to someone at the embassy about this. I will go there tomorrow.

Barrister Koffi Kuku (Esq).

On May 26th, the scammer finally figures out that he might've been tricked.

Smart guy, the officials that I talk to say that your church does not exist anywhere and is not at any camp in chad. The police official is the president? I can see now that you are a fraud playing serious games. What do you gain with this? I just want to know why. I have never know anyone like you. You are a unimaginable bastard pig to do this to me. I want you to know that i will spend my life to find you and when I do you and your family will suffer terrible as i have, I promise.

Good by bastard

Insisting on having the final word, Kuhm Belcher sends an emotion-filled final reply.

From Kuhm Belcher Fri May 26 112630 2006

Hi "Mr. Kuku" or is it Achiu (that's your real name, right?),

I don't usually do this, but as long as you've figured this out, I will make an exception in your case.

First off, congrats for finally putting it all together. I was starting to think that you were r-slurred or something. Is it too late to ask for a postcard from Khartoum? Haha, just kidding. Save your money for the trip back. How is Khartoum by the way? I've never been there and I am really curious.

Second, you asked me why I did all this. I'll tell you why. It's mostly because I hate people that try to scam honest, hard working people out of their life savings. I hate, even more, people that are willing to steal from priests and from homeless refugees. That's right fool; I knew you were a scammer from your very first letter you sent last year. Can you believe it? That was 8 months ago. Wow. How time flies by.

I've got to say this though, you were quite the challenge. I get fools like you to travel all the time but it usually takes less than a month. There were times that I almost gave up on you.

How do you suppose Oney is doing? He is one of the monkies that you sent to Farchana, isn't he? Do you think that he is still alive or perhaps he is getting regularly butt-fricked by the barbarian horde in some prison in Darfur? It's a shame that you did not go with him and the other guy. I could have gotten three scammers at one time.

By the way, did you know that you are famous now? That's right Achiu, famous. For the last month or so, I have been sharing every email, every detail with thousands of other people like me that also enjoy messing with stupid little boys like you. We have all gotten a big kick watching this.

You even caused a bit of a stir too. A moral debate continued for days. Some thought that I was a little harsh on you. Personally, I think that you were lucky that it was only me on the other end of the computer or telephone. There are others out there far more talented at this than I am that could have gotten you to Antarctica by now, which, if I were you, is exactly where I would be headed. I cannot imagine that your family back in Lagos is too happy with you at the moment. Maybe when the boys eventually crawl out from whatever rock they are under, your family will let you go back to Lagos.

Well, cocktard, I've said just about all that I wanted to. When you get to Antarctica, be sure to stay bundled up. It gets pretty darn cold there you know. And if you find yourself a bit light on cash, give me call. I'll see if I can Western Union some money to you.

Blessings

Rev. Kuhm Belcher (also not my real name)

Some people argued that this went too far. The author left a page about the ethics. https://www.419eater.com/html/RoadToChadDarfur/opinion.html

So, try to rest easy about all this. I know that I will.

Here's a thread from 2010, where the fun police arrive to decide that no, this is not fun: https://bbs.stardestroyer.net/viewtopic.php?t=145935

I don't think the guy accomplished anything good here. Are these baiters actually going to act as a real deterrent to scamming? Is the guy who got baited going to feel any remorse for scamming people because some vigilante screwed with his life? Can the baiter know for sure that these 2 boys had actually ruined anyone's lives beforehand, or would have in the future? Do the boys share equal responsibility with their 'boss' 'Mr. Kiku'?

Here's another thread where people at le epic memes that the author included in the scam bait: https://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=174766