Operatives of the Nigeria Police, Niger State Command, have arrested two suspects who claimed to be graduates of Educational Technology, Benue State University over allegation of being in possession of nine ATM cards that were said to have been swapped from their victims.
The arrest of the two suspects identified as Aver Wese, 31-year-old who claimed to have hailed from Obudu in Criss Rivers State; and Godwin Deor, 30-year-old from Ankpa in Kogi State was said to have “occurred on 16/11/2023 at about 0950hrs, by Police operatives attached to Suleja Area Command of the state Police Command.”
This is according to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State Police Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, and made available to the newsmen on Monday in Minna, the state capital.
According to the PPRO, the suspects were arrested at Old NEPA roundabout, Suleja, after they attempted to swap a female victim’s ATM card at a commercial bank ATM gallery in Suleja LGA of the state, adding that the victim discovered the attempt and raised an alarm, while the suspects immediately entered a Toyota Corolla vehicle with Reg. No. YAB 267 CW and zoomed off from the scene.
“Consequently, the Police patrol team was alerted and trailed the vehicle. The vehicle was intercepted at Old NEPA roundabout, Suleja and the two suspects were arrested, while the driver, one David Therma abandoned the vehicle and escaped”, the statement further revealed.
Abiodun stated further that during interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed that both of them came from Lokoja and met David, the runaway member of the gang at Zuba, in Abuja, who was said to have taken the vehicle from an Uber driver in Abuja.
The statement reads in parts that “they narrated further that the trio moved to a commercial bank in Suleja, where they met the female victim who was having difficulties in operating an ATM, the suspects spied on her PIN and offered to help her as the machine could not dispense, but in the process, the card was ejected and they attempted to swap her ATM card, she noticed the act and raised an alarm.
“The suspects claimed that they were graduates of Educational Technology from Benue State University and that they had been carrying out such nefarious activities for the past five months, which they withdrew about #170,000 from victims’ accounts in Nasarawa State, about #90,000 was withdrawn through victims’ cards in Lokoja and the similar attempt in Suleja was not successful”, said the PPRO.
He noted further that exhibits recovered from the suspects include: a Toyota Corolla vehicle with Reg. No. YAB 267 CW, Nine ATM cards, One POS machine and One flash drive.
The Spokesperson said the suspects were undergoing further investigation at SCID Minna, adding that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing David Therma.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, CP Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamman, has enjoined members of the public to be more careful at ATM galleries and be more security cautious at other public places.
The Police boss commended Nigerlites and the victim for their cooperation and support which he described as fruitful in arresting the suspects.
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