Police apprehend 2 criminals over ATM swap in Niger

The Niger State Police Command has arrested two suspects for allegedly being in possession of nine ATM cards swapped from victims in Nasarawa and Kogi states.

The Command through the Public Relations Officer,PRO, DSP Abiodun Wasiu, said the suspects were arrested last Thursday at Old NEPA roundabout, Suleja, after they attempted to swap a woman’s ATM card at a commercial bank’s ATM gallery.

The suspects include Aver Wese, 31yrs, of Obudu, Cross-Rivers State and Godwin Deor, 30yrs of Ankpa, Kogi State.

The police spokesman explained that the woman 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.

According to him, the Police patrol team was alerted and trailed the vehicle and intercepted them at Old NEPA roundabout, Suleja.

The two suspects were arrested, while the driver, one David Therma, abandoned the vehicle and escaped.

Abiodun also said during interrogation, the suspects confessed that both of them came from Lokoja and met David Therma, who was said to have taken the vehicle from an Uber driver in Abuja.

In an interview with newsmen, the suspects claimed that they were graduates of Educational Technology from Benue State University, and that they had been involved in the criminal venture for the past five months.

They claimed: “We withdrew about N170,000 from other victims’ accounts in Nasarawa State; about N90,000 was withdrawn through victims’ cards in Lokoja and we tried similar attempt in Suleja which was not successful.”

Items 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 police spokesman added that the suspects are currently undergoing further investigation at SCID Minna, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing David Therma.