Police detectives in Enugu have arrested and arraigned a 29-year-old mother of four and three others for an alleged involvement in Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Cards swapping in the state.
Confirming the story, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, said, “Operatives serving in Hawk Tactical Squad of the Enugu State Command, together with Troops of the Nigerian Air Force Enugu, on May 6, 2023 at about 4.30pm, intercepted and arrested the suspects in Emene axis of Enugu.
The names of the suspects were given as: Michael Sopuruchi aged 36, Osinachi Godwin aged 18 and Moses Ani aged 29, and a mother of four, Chika Nwoko aged 29.
“The suspects were arrested, while escaping to their above-mentioned 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”, he said.
The Police spokesperson added, “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.”
The suspects, he said, confessed to the crime, stating that they have carried out many other criminal acts of ATM Cards swapping and fraud within Enugu metropolis.
According to him, “Four different banks’ ATM Cards, including that of the victim, were recovered from them”.
The suspects were yesterday arraigned in court where the Magistrate ordered that they should be remanded in Enugu Custodial Centre.
The case was adjourned to June 7, this year for further hearing while the case-file was transmitted for legal advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ministry of Justice, Enugu State.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ahmed Ammani, has commended the Joint Operatives for busting and bringing the criminal syndicate to book.
He, however, called on bank customers, particularly the elderly and those without proper knowledge of how to use ATM of banks to exercise caution and seek the assistance of Bank staff while using their cards on the machine.
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