Member Of ATM Card Swap Syndicate Arrested During Operation

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A 25-year old robbery suspect, Chukwudi Chukwu, who is a member of a syndicate which specialised in swapping victims ATM cards, has been arrested after he escaped mob action in Enugu State.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that Police operatives attached to New Haven Police Division of the Enugu State Command, arrested Chukwu of Nwofe Village in Izzi LGA. of Ebonyi State, at Chime Avenue, Enugu. 

This was disclosed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, on behalf of Commissioner of Police.
He said that the suspect’s arrest led to the recovery of a yellow-coloured Bajaj Tricycle with registration number: ENU 677 WW, which his gang used for the operation.

Other items recovered from him included nine (9) ATM cards of different banks suspected to belong to victims.

ASP Ndukwe further explained that the suspect’s arrest was due to a swift response to a distress call and his rescue from an angry mob by the Police operatives, after he was alleged to have fraudulently swapped a victim’s UBA ATM card after offering to assist process her transaction on another bank’s ATM with the intention of defrauding her.

He reportedly confessed to the crime as well as being a member of the syndicate that specialised in swapping ATM cards of their unsuspecting victims at banks’ ATMs with non-functional cards, which they used to fraudulently obtain funds from their accounts.

Meanwhile, intense discrete investigation is ongoing to arrest and bring to book other members of the criminal syndicate, including the suspect’s accomplices who escaped on the said date.

He said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Ndatsu Aliyu, has applauded the peace-loving citizens of the State for their assistance in the fight against criminals and their activities. 

He, however, pleaded with all and sundry to quickly submit arrested criminals to the Police for proper investigation and prosecution, rather than mob actions that are tantamount to jungle justice.