ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Some Police Operatives in the Hawk Tactical Squad of the Enugu State Command, with joint efforts of Troops of the Nigerian Air Force Enugu, have intercepted and arrested four criminal syndicates.
The suspects were arrested on 6 May 2023 at about 4.30 pm, in Emene, Enugu, according to a statement by DSP Daniel Ndukwe, the Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command.
Items recovered from them include four Automated Teller Machines (ATM).
The Cards swapping suspects include three (3) males: one Michael Sopuruchi, aged 36; Osinachi Godwin, aged 18 and Moses Ani, aged 29; and one (1) female and a mother of four (4), Chika Nwoko, aged 29.
According to the statement, the suspects were arrested while escaping to their behind Emenite, criminal hideout in Emene, Enugu, after they fraudulently stole the ATM Card and Personal Identification Number (PIN) of an unsuspecting 63-year-old male victim while pretending to assist him withdraw money from a commercial Bank ATM along Ogui Road, Enugu.
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Immediately after the switcheroo, the suspects used the Card and PIN to withdraw the total sum of four hundred and ninety-five thousand Naira (N495,000.00) from the victim’s account.
Meanwhile, the suspects confessed to the crime, stating that they had carried out many other criminal acts of ATM Card swapping and fraud within the Enugu metropolis, while four (4) different banks’ ATM Cards, including that of the victim, were recovered from them.
On 23 May 2023, the suspects were arraigned in court, where the Magistrate ordered that they should be remanded in Enugu Custodial Centre.
While the case is adjourned to 07 June 2023 for further hearing, and the case file transmitted to the Attorney General for legal advice through the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ministry of Justice, Enugu State.
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The Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani, commended the Joint Operatives for busting and bringing the criminal syndicate to book.
Ammani also called on bank customers, particularly the elderly and those without proper knowledge of how to use ATMs, to exercise caution and seek the assistance of Bank staff while using their Cards on the Machine.